


Grouptale

by iHateFridays



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Grouptale, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-09 16:33:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 52
Words: 179,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13485444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iHateFridays/pseuds/iHateFridays
Summary: What if the six fallen humans who died before Frisk never died and instead joined Frisk on their journey through the Underground? It all seems good... aside from Frisk. Why are they really in this timeline? What do they want? Join the other six as they try to learn about 'the eighth human', why everything is so strange and how to escape the underground.Cover: http://fav.me/dc13sjo





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Howdy AOOO, so originally this story was on FanFiction.net. It still is. XD Now, I don't plan to be as active on this site, since the stories will be basically the same. One difference is, on this site, Frisk will not be referred to as the 'genderless kid' until chapter 15, they will be known as the eighth human for the whole story. The rest of the note will be copied and pasted from FanFiction.net. Thanks! 
> 
> ... so there are a few different versions of this AU, the human SOULs and etc. This is my version. If you don't agree with it, that's okay - this is my view, after all. Everyone has their own perspective. Please don't hate if you disagree.
> 
> NOTE: If you don't know what Grouptale is, it's basically an AU where the six dead humans in original Undertale aren't dead and join Frisk on their journey through the Underground. Just wanted to clear that up XD
> 
> I don't own this AU, by the way. Or Undertale! Just this version of it. And the comedic, childish kind of writing style. I hope you enjoy it. I won't say anything about the characters right now. You'll learn about them as the story progresses. Some of the names - like Clover and Cody - come from Undertale fangames. Shout out to them!

Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS.

One day, war broke out between the two races.

After a long battle, the humans were victorious. They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell.

Many years later...

An illustration depicted a mountain in the bronze colouring, surrounded by a forest. Text read,

MT EBOTT

201X

A child with short, brown hair reaching the back of their head and wearing a striped sweater was climbing up the mountain. Text read, Legends say a child climbed up the mountain and disappeared, never to be seen again. More illustrations followed, showing the child disappearing.

"Since then, no one has climbed the mountain," Percy read in his dry, monotonous voice. He observed the odd illustrations. "No one knows what happened to the child." He frowned. "They couldn't have just disappeared. Something must've happened to them." He brought out his favourite notebook with a hard, purple cover and began taking down notes. "But what...? Did they trip down? Were they kidnapped?" He eyed his laptop. "Legends say that monsters live under the mountain. But monsters can't possibly exist. Can they? Perhaps it's a metaphor."

Percy continued taking down more notes. He was gathering as much information as possible, even though the internet wasn't always reliable. The only book he had was some old book that belonged to Melody's great-great-great grandfather or something. Who knows? Whatever the case, Percy was determined to find out what had happened to the kid who had the crappy fate of disappearing on Mt. Ebott. He was planning to visit the town's library and search it for books related to the topic - and some dorky comic books, of course.

Percy was about to leave when his best friend Melody entered. She watched him with her sharp blue eyes. She folded her arms.

"You've been in here all day, Percy," she told him. "Are you sure you don't want to come outside with the rest of us?"

"No, thanks," Percy replied, grabbing his research. "I was actually going over to the library to continue my research."

"By yourself?" Melody asked, raising her brow. The library was a fair distance away. Percy nodded. Well, he was a very independent boy, especially with studying.

"Who's going out?" Brayden asked, popping his head in. He stared at Percy with his flame orange eyes (it was a genetic thing in his family - occasionally a family member would get orange eyes, but it was super rare, so Brayden thought he was really cool). "Nerd boy! You've been in here all day! How's your nerdy stuff going?!"

"It's research," Percy sighed. "It's good. I'm going to the library."

"BORING!" Brayden commented, blowing a raspberry. "Come on, dude! You don't have to study all the time! This isn't even school-related!"

"I'm investigating, not studying." Percy protested, dipping his head. He adjusted his cloudy glasses.

"Let him do what he wants, Brayden," Melody sighed. She stared at Percy. "Please ask my mom if you can leave. I don't want you getting into trouble."

"Trouble?" Now Clover was in the room, leaning against the wall. She adjusted her cowboy hat. She had a pistol attached to her hip (who gives a child a gun?). She wore a pale brown and yellow striped sweater and a yellow bandana around her neck. And long brown pants. "No one better be in trouble." She stared at Percy. "Howdy, pardner. Haven't seen ya all day!"

"I'm going to the library." Percy replied, not really feeling like talking. Talking could be kind of tiring, after all.

"I like the library." a quiet voice spoke up. It belonged to Faye, who was followed by Cody. She had pale blonde hair tied up by a faded red ribbon. She wore a white t-shirt with light blue stripes. She had pale skin and long, brown pants. "Libraries are nice. I like the quiet and the big bean bags you can sit on. Then on Saturday mornings the library staff read stories to you. Once, this lady read a story about-"

"Yeah yeah, libraries are cool, blah blah," Brayden interrupted, not interested in hearing about libraries. "You know what!? We should ALL go out! Not to the library but to the PARK! THE SWING IS THE BEST!" He flexed, trying to be tough. Melody sighed. Brayden could be annoyingly immature. Especially with that silly 'manly' bandanna he always wore over his messy, brown hair. He also wore shorts and a pale brown tank with orange stripes over his pale skin.

"Going out sounds like fun." Cody commented, smiling. "We could go to the bakery!" His eyes lit up. He was good friends with the baker's son, since they were both cooking-obsessed. Cody loved cooking so much he always wore his favourite stained apron over his white-and-green striped sweater and long, black pants. He hesitated. "Um, well, if you guys want to, that is!"

"Goin' out sounds dandy." Clover agreed, eyeing Cody - her little brother. She was an extremely over-protective big sister, and because of this, no one ever messed with Cody. They didn't want have to deal with his scary big sister. She and Cody looked similar, too: they both had tan skin and dark brown hair. Except their eyes were different. Cody's were a darkish green while his sister's were yellow. Apparently it was some genetic malfunction (like with Brayden's family).

"I like the sunshine on days like this." Faye commented, staring at the ceiling. "Birds are singing and flowers are blooming. It's a perfect day for a game of catch." She was always getting distracted by everything around her. She took the time to observe her surroundings, since they were often really cool.

"Very well, we'll go out," Melody said, adjusting her bun. She was basically an uptight, but not as aggressive version of Clover. She valued right and wrong. And she was pretty nice... to people she trusted. "As long as my mom says we can."

"Do we have to ask your mom?" Brayden asked irritably.

"Yes," Melody replied, glaring at him. "It's very important." Brayden sighed. Melody could be a prick.

Melody's mom said the kids could go out as long as they stuck together and didn't screw stuff up. Brayden was usually pretty good at that (unfortunately) so Melody had to chaperone him. Everyone else was okay, though. Unless someone bothered Cody. Then they would get hell from Clover.

Anyway, the kids went out into the town. Percy wanted to go straight to the library. Brayden wanted to go to the park. Faye didn't mind. Cody said he didn't mind, but he secretly wanted to go to the bakery. His sister wanted to check out the police station - to admire it, mostly. Melody wanted to go to some music store and jam out to some sick tunes. No one could agree on anything (aside from Faye who wasn't fussy).

Eventually they decided to go to the bakery, since everyone was sort of hungry. Cody had a secret victory party inside of his mindscape. So the kids went over there, talking to each other on the way. They mainly talked about the weather and why the park was cool and the food at the bakery and etc. Now, my readers, the exciting part starts here. To get to the bakery, the kids had to cross a road. Melody made them line up responsibly and wait until it was safe.

"Don't be stupid, Brayden." she scolded Brayden who looked like he wanted to run across the road for the sake of it. He muttered a naughty word he learned from some edgy group at school he used to hang out with. Finally, the children could cross. They did. It was all going well until Faye dropped something on the ground.

"Oops, my toy knife." she muttered, leaning down to pick it up. She didn't see the car speeding towards her.

"FAYE!" the kids screamed. Brayden looked enraged (since he and Faye were besties, despite their differences). Clover was mad at the dude driving the car since they were speeding. Everyone else was shocked. Faye was about to be hit. It was too late.

It was over.

...or was it?

Suddenly, something leaped out of nowhere and pushed Faye off the road, saving her life. It was a quick flash of red, something speedy, something like that. They crash-landed on the other side, banging into a bin. Faye's saviour was holding her tightly, and carrying her knife, too. They helped her stand up. Faye was too stunned for words. She accepted the toy knife from her saviour. Their eyes appeared to be closed. They had short, brown hair reaching the back of their head, yellow (?) skin and a blue and pink striped shirt. They were wearing brown pants. They were holding a stick for some reason.

"FAYE!" the other kids raced over.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?" Brayden yelled, freaking Faye out. She didn't like being yelled at.

"YOU COULDA BEEN KILLED!" Clover agreed, looking just as furious.

"I... I'm sorry...." Faye whimpered quietly, sinking to the floor.

"YEAH, YOU BETTER BE!" Brayden yelled. He punched the bin they had crashed into then gave Faye a tackle-hug. Then he was cool. Clover gave Faye a hug too and glared at the speeding car. They were already driving away. Clover reminded herself to go to that police station.

Meanwhile, the other kids were speaking to Faye's mysterious saviour. For some reason, their gender was very hard to decipher.

"Thank you for saving her," Melody told the saviour. Cody gave them a big hug and Percy gave them a nod of approval. The saviour weakly smiled but did not speak.

"YEAH, YOU RULE!" Brayden said brightly, lightly punching the saviour on the shoulder. "You're the best, punk!"

"Nice to meet ya," Clover said, shaking the saviour's hand. "Thanks for saving my friend back there. Golly, we sure do appreciate it, don't we, Faye?" The stunned blonde-haired girl nodded in response. Clover grinned at the saviour. "Yeah. What's your name, by the way?" The saviour shrugged, not moving their lips or eyes. They weren't very talkative.

"Are your eyes closed?" Brayden asked. "How can you see?" The saviour shrugged again.

"Not much of a talker, are ya?" Clover asked, raising her brow. The saviour shrugged one more time.

"Well, talker or not, he... or she... is a hero." Melody said, folding her arms. She stared at the saviour. "I'm sorry, but I really can't tell. Are you a boy or a girl?" The saviour shook their head. The kids stared at each other.

"You're... neither?" Cody asked. He nervously chuckled. "Uh, nothing wrong with that of course! I... uh, just thought, you'd, um, well..."

"One's gender and one's sex are different," Percy pointed out. "He or she may have a biological sex, but gender is different. If they prefer not to have a gender, then that is what they prefer." The saviour had a disapproving look on their face.

"Heh heh, sex." Brayden giggled. Melody rolled her eyes (wait, when did she learn about sex?).

"What does sex mean?" Faye asked innocently.

"Um, anyway," Clover spoke up quickly. "Doesn't matter if the kid has a gender or not, y'all. They saved Faye and that's what counts." She faced the saviour. "Well, whoever you are, thanks again." The saviour nodded and turned away. Suddenly Percy gasped, observing his book. He ran over to the nameless child.

"You look disturbingly similar to the child in this book," he told them, showing them the book. He himself looked a bit like the kid, too: he had short, black hair (like them), pale skin and a striped sweater. And long pants. But the saviour was far more similar. They looked almost identical, besides the fact that their sweater had two stripes and the child in the book only had one. Percy's purple sweater had black two stripes on the arms and one on his chest. He also wore glasses, and as far as he could tell, neither the saviour or the child in the book had those. The saviour stared at the book for a moment, like they were contemplating something.

"It could be just a coincidence, but..." Percy began taking down notes. Suddenly, the nameless child ripped all of Percy's stuff (including the book and Percy's notebook) out of his hands and ran away at top speed. "Hey!" Percy didn't like it when people took his notebook. It was his precious. He didn't run very much (he didn't like running) but this was an emergency. No one stole his precious. He chased after the eighth human. Wait, why was he suddenly he referring to the saviour as that? ... because, somehow, it made sense.

"Holy crap, Percy can run!" Brayden exclaimed. "He never runs!"

"We're not gonna stand around and watch 'em, are we?" Clover asked, folding her arms. "This kid's up to something. We'd better find out what, y'all!" Soon she joined in on the chase.

"WHOOO!" Brayden yelled, also running. He was easily the fastest runner out of the group. Melody eyed Cody and Faye. She stared at her pink ballet shoes. She could run, but she was better at jumping. Running sort of sucks when you're wearing ballet shoes.

"We should keep them out of trouble," Melody told her friends. She flattened her light-blue and dark-blue striped shirt out. It was pretty much her ballet uniform, since she was wearing her pink tutu as well. She wore these over her dark brown hair and chocolate skin. "Let's go."

"Coming!" Cody said, racing after Melody, his apron flowing in the wind. Faye didn't run. She hated running even more than Percy did. She only ran in two (technically three) situations: life or death or for physical education. And most P.E lessons she didn't run anyway. P.E sucked. She was not good at any sport whatsoever. So she stuffed running. Although Faye knew Percy really cared about his stuff, she suspected he would be fine. I mean, the eighth human had just saved her life a few minutes ago. They must have something good in mind. So she trailed behind, looking at all the random stuff around her. It really was a nice day today.

Meanwhile, where all the action and cool stuff was happening, the kid with a stick and Percy's stuff was still running. Percy didn't care where they were going, he wanted his stuff back. Clover and Brayden were catching up.

"Why are you taking it from me!?" Percy yelled, clearly annoyed. He leaped over some kids on their iPads. "Stop running!" The eighth human didn't stop running. They just kept going, turning here, turning there, kicking people out of their way, etc. "So... tired..." Percy groaned, his legs feeling like fire. He glared at the kid running off in the distance. "But I can't... give up!"

"I dunno what that kid's doing, but I don't like it," Clover commented, appearing next to Percy. She was tired too.

"Give me back my stuff!" Percy yelled, running after the kid again.

"YEAH! RUN PERCY RUN!" Brayden cheered him on. More running, blah blah. The kid eventually led everyone to this big mountain called Mt. Ebott. The mountain Percy wanted to study. They finally stopped running there and began walking instead. Climbing up the mountain like they did it for breakfast. Shoving past all those annoying trees and bushes.

"Stop!" Percy croaked, extremely tired. He followed the eighth human the mountain, panting. He hadn't done so much running since that torturous cross country at school. He wanted to collapse and sleep until next week, but his stuff was more important. That kid was determined, but so was he. He wouldn't give up yet.

"Hey!" Brayden shouted, reaching Percy. The others (aside from Faye who was really behind) were there too, eyeing the scene strangely. "That was awesome, Perce! Run like that more often!" He fist-pumped the air. "I heard there are monsters on this mountain! I bet I could TOTALLY beat up some monsters!" He punched the air some more.

"Monsters...?" Cody asked nervously, gripping his frying pan (yeah, he carried that around too).

"Oh, he's only trying to scare you," Melody told Cody, shaking her head. "Monsters aren't real."

"Yeah, that's 'cause you're too scared to admit they are!" Brayden teased. He made a stupid face. "Ooh, Melody! Watch out, I'm a monster! I'm gonna eat you alive!" He raced back down to Melody and tried to fake-tackle her or something like that. She pushed him away, rolling her eyes. When he got too annoying she took one of his tough gloves off.

"HEY! GIVE IT BACK!" Brayden growled.

"If you stop annoying me I will." Melody replied. She gave him a serious look. "But you have to promise."

"Yeah, yeah, I promise, just gimme my glove back!" Brayden grumbled, trying to take the glove from her. Melody let him have it back, sighing.

"Where are you leadin' us?" Clover asked the eighth human. They'd given Percy his stuff back and were gesturing for everyone to follow them. They didn't answer Clover's question and kept walking. They were helpful like that.

"I don't like this path very much," Melody commented. "My mom wouldn't like us climbing this mountain."

"Just lay off your mom for ten seconds!" Brayden told her, giving her a look. "We're just following that kid! They're probably showing us something awesome like..." He made a scary face at Cody. "MONSTERS!" Cody yelped and held out his frying pan. He ran up to his sister, who glared at Brayden. Brayden chuckled sheepishly.

The eighth human stopped in front of a cave. But not any old cave.

"Oh," Percy gasped, taking notes. "It's the cave in my book!" He eyed the eighth human. "Have you been here before?" The child didn't answer.

"Are there monsters in there?" Brayden asked, running up to the cave. Cody grabbed his sister's sleeve and tried not to whimper. Brayden yelled at the cave, "COME OUT AND FIGHT ME YOU MONSTER WHIMPS!" But nobody came.

"This is stupid," Melody grumbled, walking up to everyone else. They were surrounding the cave. Melody faced the eighth human. "What did you want to show us?" They entered the cave. The kids followed them. Percy kept fangirling, because it was another place in his book. He kept taking notes.

"COME AND FIGHT ME, YOU MONSTER COWARDS!" Brayden taunted, parading around the cave like he needed to pee. There was a large, dark hole there that led somewhere. Percy remembered the vines and plants in the dark cave. Did the child trip and fall? He took more notes.

"Be careful, Brayden," Melody warned Brayden, holding his arm. "You'll trip and get hurt."

"I'll be fine, Mel." he groaned, shooing her off.

"This cave's a little creepy, guys." Cody commented, standing next to his sister, his brow creased.

"I wanna know why we're here." Clover said, eyeing the eighth human. They were looking at the hole. They leaned down like they were trying to see something. Then, suddenly, they tripped. They fell into the hole. That was before Clover grabbed their hand. Cody yelped.

"Don't worry, kid!" she told them. "I've got ya! Just hold on!" The kid looked down at their stick which was in their other hand. Then, for a second, they thought they saw something else in the darkness. Something shocking. Their heart stopped and their lip quivered. The blood rushed to their head. It was a child. Another child below them. The child in Percy's book.

They whispered a single word, "Chara". Then they let go of Clover's hand, falling into the darkness.

"Kid!" Clover shouted. She adjusted her hat and jumped in after them.

"Clover!" Cody whimpered, terrified. He raced in after his sister. He didn't want to loose her.

"What..." Percy was writing down notes like a madman. Suddenly he tripped on a vine and fell in too.

"Percy!" Melody exclaimed, not wanting to loose her best friend. She jumped in, sweat beads covering her face.

"WHOA! MELODY!" Brayden yelled. "YEAH! THAT'S THE STUFF! GERONIMO!" He jumped in after everyone. After he jumped in, Faye arrived.

"Oh... oh no..." she said sadly, her light blue eyes widening. "All my friends are gone..." She looked around. She didn't want to jump into the hole. It was too scary. She thought maybe she could wait up here for her friends to return. She sat down on the edge of the hole and waited patiently. Until the ground under her butt cracked and she fell in too. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where our story starts.


	2. Flowey and Toriel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids have fallen Underground... what will they meet?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters will be focused on different humans in different areas - where you would find their stuff in Undertale. And SOUL order of course! I apologize for the length of this chapter - this is going to be a looonggggggg fanfic...

~FAYE~

The first thing Faye felt when she landed was some kind of flower. And Brayden's entire body.

"Hey!" Brayden yelled, pushing her off. "What the heck, Faye?!"

"Sorry..." Faye mumbled, laying on the flowers. Nice golden flowers in a large clump. They were in the middle of some kind of cave. It was dark, but light was coming from above. Faye's friends were there, too - including that weird eighth human. 

"Where are we?" Clover asked, stating the obvious.

"I don't know," Melody snorted. Melody honestly scared Faye a bit, but she liked hanging around Melody. She was actually quite a nice person when you got to know her. Honorable and trustworthy, too. "Where do you think, Captain Obvious?"

"We appear to be in some underground cave." Percy replied, taking down notes. Faye thought highly of Percy. They understood each other quite well, since they both knew what it was like to be an outcast. Though in the end, Faye knew Melody was a better friend for him. Percy observed the golden flowers. "Ranunculus, more commonly known as the buttercup. They're known to grow around the area of Ebott. And, in fact, this particular type of buttercup only grows here in Ebott."

"Uh... how are we gonna get out?" Cody asked, looking nervous. Faye liked Cody. He was really kind to everyone he met, even bullies. And he had an awesome fry-pan and made the best enchalidas that even Faye's aunt couldn't top.

"You," Clover eyed the eighth human. "You led us here." She gave them a death stare. They crawled backwards. "What were you thinkin'?"

"Who cares why, how are we gonna get out of this dump?!" Brayden asked. He punched the wall and hurt his hand. "Ow!" Melody rolled her eyes.

"Well obviously punching the wall isn't going to help anyone," she commented. "There must be some way."

"Theoretically, climbing would not work since we require rope," Percy said, taking down notes. Brayden was trying to climb up anyway. Faye stayed away from everyone. She hung around the eighth human. "And also, the dirt in the wall is not strong enough to carry the weight of any of us." Brayden fell off and landed on Melody. She didn't look very happy about that.

"Do you listen to anyone?" she asked.

"I'm tryna get out, Mel!" Brayden retorted, glaring at her. A few minutes later, everyone aside from Cody, Faye and the eighth human were arguing. Cody was hanging around his sister, trying to stop the pointless arguing. But to no avail. Faye, meanwhile, watched the eighth human leave the cave. They were going along some path. She readjusted her red ribbon, held out her toy knife and followed them.

"Uh... hi," she greeted quietly, smiling at them. They were walking on a grey path. At the end was a grey gate with a weird symbol on it. The other kids were yelling and arguing in the background. "I didn't say it before, but... thanks for saving me. It was really nice of you." The kid nodded. They faced the grey gate. "Um... I kinda like that you don't talk. I mean, I'm usually the quiet one... but, um, now I'm not alone!" She gave the child a small smile. "You don't have to if you don't want to... but do you want to be friends?"

The child looked thoughtful for a moment. They smiled and nodded.

"Great...!" Faye replied. She took a small breath. "Oh, um, if you didn't know, my name is Faye. I guess... I guess you don't have a name. That's okay." Faye hadn't made any new friends (apart from the other five kids, but that wasn't really her doing) for a long time. She hadn't really tried since she moved to Ebott to live at her aunt's house. She almost felt proud of herself. She made a new friend on her own.

"Um..." Faye looked at the gate. "Do you, um... think we should wait for the others?" The eighth human shrugged. Even though their eyes were closed and their mouth was a straight line, Faye could see some emotion in them. They wanted to go in. Faye was clever like that. She noticed a lot more things than people realized she did. "Well, if you really want to go in..." Faye would've waited by herself outside the gate, but that felt a little daunting. And besides, she wanted to hang with her new friend before they ran off with everyone else. Like her other friends did.

"Where are y'all goin'?" Clover rushed over, everyone else behind her (aside from Brayden who was way ahead as usual). Faye liked Clover. She could be pretty scary when she wanted to be but she was also really nice. She was almost like Faye's big sister as well as Cody's. And Faye liked her accent.

"We were, um..." Faye thought about what to say. "Um... going through this gate thingy."

"AWESOME!" Brayden yelled, running in. Brayden was the friend Faye was least similar to, yet he was her best friend, ironically. They balanced each other out in quite a way.

"Opposites attract, darling," Faye's aunt had told her. Faye's aunt was smart. She knew a lot about people. "Sometimes in science, sometimes with people." Faye knew she was right. Faye mostly admired Brayden's incredible bravery (and even envied it). He just ran into danger like he did it for breakfast. And then there was her, who was scared from watching Blues Clues. And a lot of other things.

The eighth human followed Brayden. So did Melody, yelling at him to keep out of trouble. Faye stayed behind, watching everyone go in. Percy was taking more notes. Cody still looked nervous. Clover walked over to Faye.

"You alright there, Faye?" she asked, patting Faye's blonde curls.

"I'm... fine," Faye replied. She was scared and she was not good at being brave. "Thanks, Clover." She and Clover went through the gate. And what they saw was not what they were expecting.

"Howdy!" a living flower - yeah, a living flower - was having a good old time on a patch of grass. He was a yellow buttercup with six petals and a big grin. To Faye, he sounded suspiciously like Spongebob.

"WHAT THE HECK IS THAT FLOWER ALIVE?!" Brayden asked, staring at the flower. He grinned. "I WANNA FIGHT IT!"

"This is not possible," Percy mumbled, writing things down. "Flowers cannot be alive. This is not possible."

"What is this place...?" Clover asked. She eyed the eighth human who was emotionlessly staring at the flower. They didn't seem to care at all. Faye looked at their face. Something told her they'd seen something like this before.

"I... I'm so confused!" Cody exclaimed, looking confused.

"I am too." Melody agreed, also looking confused. Faye was also confused but she didn't say so because she didn't want to start up annoying repetition that would make this fanfiction rather unbearable (if you do not think it already is).

"That's right, I'm a living flower!" the flower said, still looking cheerful and etc. All the kids went around him. He cleared his throat (okay, firstly a kid has a gun, now flowers have throats?!). "Howdy! I'm FLOWEY, FLOWEY the flower! Hmm... You're all new to the underground, aren'tcha?" He wasn't really looking at the eighth human while saying this, Faye noticed. They didn't care. "Golly, y'all must be so confused!"

"Yes, very." Melody commented dryly.

"How are you alive?" Percy asked, kneeling down and observing Flowey. "What sort of power allows a being like yourself to live like one of us?" He took notes. Faye saw he even sketched a diagram of the flower.

"Uh..." Flowey looked away. "I just am, kiddo!" He made a face. "Anyway! Someone ought to teach you how things work around here! I guess little old me will have to do!" He made a bigger smile. "Ready?" Nope, Faye thought. "Here we go!" The kids were pulled into a strange, black simulation. A bunch of coloured hearts were in a white box. Flowey was above that white box, still grinning. "See those hearts? Those are your SOULs, the very culmination of your beings!"

"HECK YEEAAH LOOK AT MINE!" Brayden yelled, moving his orange heart thingo around and bumping into everyone else.

"Brayden, don't go in my SOUL space!" Melody snorted, moving her dark blue SOUL away from his.

"Incredible." Percy took even more notes about his purple SOUL.

"Wow, mine is green!" Cody exclaimed, petting his green SOUL.

"Green is not a creative colour, Cody." Melody pointed out. Cody looked sad.

"Yellow, like the sun." Clover observed her yellow SOUL.

"The sun is actually a flaming ball of gas, which is orange." Percy pointed out. Brayden fist-pumped the air and Clover sighed. Faye wasn't saying anything. She was observing her light blue SOUL. She let it move from palm to palm. It glowed brightly. It was pretty. Faye liked it a lot. She looked at the eighth human. They had a red SOUL.

"Red," Faye said, looking at their SOUL. She thought about something creepy. "Like my ribbon. What a nice colour." The kids kept messing around with their SOULs. Only Faye and the eighth human stopped. Faye was patiently waiting for Flowey to continue and the eighth human looked bored. Flowey looked bored too and rather impatient.

"Hey, kids," he spoke up, but no one was listening. "Kids," He sounded angry. Still no attention. "HEY, CUT IT OUT!" Everyone stopped messing around and looked at him. He had a terrifying expression on. He quickly removed it. "Now, I'll go on. Your SOULs start off weak, but can grow strong if you all gain a lot of LV. What's LV? Why, LOVE, of course! You want some LOVE, don't you? Don't worry, I'll share some with you!"

"I love LOVE!" Cody said cheerfully. "Mom always said to bake with love!" The eighth human, however, was shaking their head. "She didn't?" The eighth human shook their head at Flowey.

"Oh," Faye sort of got what they were saying. She whispered, "I think they're saying we shouldn't trust Flowey."

"But he wants to give us love!" Cody retorted, making a sad face. The kids gathered in a little huddle.

"Would you honestly trust a talking flower?" Melody asked, raising her brow. Cody looked super sad.

"Never mind, bro." Clover said, patting his shoulder. She gave Melody a death-stare. "Well, to me, this flower seems kind of mean. I think the kid may be right."

"Talking flowers, SOULS, LOVE..." Percy muttered, taking down more notes and muttering weird things.

"YEAH! I'll beat up that flower!" Brayden agreed, making a punching motion with his fists.

"Alright, then, y'all," Clover nodded at her friends. "Let's not listen to him."

"Are you kids done talkin' yet?" Flowey asked. "'Cause I've got some LOVE for you!" Pellets appeared around him. The eighth human shook their head at the pellets. "Down here, LOVE is shared through... little white 'friendliness pellets'. Are you ready?" Still no, Faye thought. "Move around! Get as many as you can!" The kids moved out of the way. Except for Faye, who was too slow. She suddenly got very hurt, and her 'HP' - a measure of her health - was down to 1.

"Oh... oops." she commented, feeling stupid. She blushed and looked away. Pain was pounding throughout her little body. Everyone was staring at her, which didn't really help her self-esteem. You're so stupid, Faye. You're so STUPID.

"You IDIOTS," Flowey growled, suddenly looking spookier than every episode of Blues Clues put together. The eighth human had a told you so look on their face. "In this world, it's kill or BE killed. It seems your idiot cyan friend here-" Faye felt even worse, "-Ran straight into the pellets. But don't worry! You'll all get to die the same way!" Pellets surrounded everyone's SOULs. Everyone started protesting and shouting.

"YOU SUCK!" Brayden yelled at the flower.

"I don't understand, I don't understand..." Percy muttered, trying to take notes.

"You're horrible." Melody told Flowey, glaring at him. Cody was searching for cookies or something to heal his friends. Clover was giving Flowey her infamous death-stare. She had her gun out. The eighth human was emotionlessly standing there. Faye was trying not to cry. She felt awful. Suddenly, the pellets disappeared. A fireball popped out of the blue and hit Flowey in the side. He sky-rocketed away like a jetpack. Someone showed up.

"What a miserable creature, torturing such... oh my, so many poor children!" the someone gasped. She was a goat lady wearing a purple dress with that symbol from the gate, Faye noticed. Her dress had white sleeves. Her fur was white. She had two small horns on the sides of her head. Her red eyes glowed passively. Cody looked freaked out. Faye was pretty freaked out too (and still feeling awful). Percy was taking more notes (how many notes does that guy take?). Clover looked suspicious. The eighth human looked even more emotionless.

"Are you a goat or something?" Brayden asked, crinkling his nose. The goat lady looked unsure.

"Brayden, you can't just ask people if they're goats." Melody grumbled.

"Why not?" Brayden asked, staring at Melody. She rolled her eyes and faced the goat lady.

"Sorry about him," she said courteously. "Thanks for saving us. Who are you?"

"I am TORIEL," the goat lady answered. "Caretaker of the RUINS." She smiled in a mom-like way that made Faye sad. "You must all be so afraid. It has been such a long time since a human fell down, let alone seven. Well, fear not, my children. You will be safe staying nearby me. Now come! I shall guide you through the RUINS."

"Hold on a minute there, Ms Toriel," Clover spoke up, lightly clenching her pistol. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"Yeah," Brayden agreed. "I mean, like, you could bake us all into pie or something."

"What?" Toriel asked, looking shocked. "How awful! I would never do such a thing!" The eighth human was nodding. Faye trusted them. They seemed to know a lot about who and who wasn't trustworthy. "No, my children, I assure you nothing like that will fall upon you in my presence." The kiddies gathered in a little circle and started talking.

"She seems nice, guys," Cody spoke up, grinning. "I think we can trust her." The eighth human nodded again.

"Yeah, she's nice." Faye said, playing with a piece of her blonde hair. She's almost like Mom before she...

"According to my calculations and estimations, there is a chance she could trick us," Percy commented, looking up from his notes. "However, there's also a chance she is on our side. Roughly fifty-five to sixty percent." He stared at Toriel. "But what kind of creature is she? An anthropomorphic goat? I've never seen a thing such as this... she could be - as ridiculous as this sounds - a monster."

"MONSTERS ARE REAL!" Brayden yelled. "AWESOME!" Cody made a small yelp like a little puppy.

"How in any way is that awesome?!" Melody asked, shivering. "Monsters are said to be dangerous!"

"I'm not scared of monsters," Brayden retorted, grinning. "I bet I could beat them all up!"

"Monsters..." Faye murmured. She stopped listening to the conversation. So monsters were real. Faye had only heard of monsters from movies and such. She didn't know how to fight them. She had a toy knife made of plastic, bandages and a red ribbon and that was it. She wouldn't be strong enough to fight anyone. She didn't really want to fight anyone anyway. Fighting sucked. It was like she was a whole lot of help to everyone anyway...

"I think we'll go with you, Ms Toriel." Clover spoke up, zapping Faye out of her thoughts. She'd tuned out of some of the conversation. It didn't matter too much anyway. They'd probably just be arguing over same old same old.

"This way." Toriel smiled at the children and led them away from the grass patch. They went through a purple gate and came to a purple room with purple bricks and a white staircase leading to another entrance. A pile of red leaves was in the center of the staircase. The genderless kid walked over to the pile of red leaves and stood there for a few moments. Faye waited for them. Then they walked away and joined the group as they walked up the stairs.

"Welcome to your new home, innocent ones," Toriel told the kids. They were standing in a small, purple room (the place seemed to be all purple). Silver buttons were on the ground. "Allow me to educate you in the operation of the RUINS." Toriel walked over a few buttons and flicked a yellow lever on the purple-brick wall. A door opened. "The RUINS are full of puzzles. Ancient fusions between diversions and doorkeys. One must solve them to move from room to room. Please adjust yourselves to the sight of them." Toriel waited at the door to the next room.

"Bleh!" Brayden groaned. "Puzzles SUCK!"

"I like puzzles," Percy commented, eyeing the silver buttons. "Really good for training the brain."

"Did she say this is our new home?" Clover asked, raising her brow. "Is she sayin' we're stuck 'ere?"

"I'm sure she, uh, didn't mean that, Clover!" Cody chuckled apprehensively. "We'll be fine!"

"I hope so," Melody replied. "I don't want to be trapped. I have a dancing recital next week." Faye watched the eighth human. They were reading a sign on the wall. Faye walked over to them. She'd decided she quite liked this kid.

"Only the fearless may proceed," she read. "Brave ones, foolish ones. Both not walk the middle road." She almost laughed. "I sort of understand that. I don't think I'm very brave. What about you?" She looked at the eighth human. They didn't respond. Not even an emotion. "I think it was brave when you saved my life. And when you saved all of us from that mean flower, and when you wanted to be my friend." She smiled. "You're my hero." The eighth human smiled and walked through the door. Faye decided to wait for her other friends.

"Golly, that kid doesn't wait for anyone!" Clover exclaimed, watching the eighth human leave. "Wait up, pardner!"

"I love that kid!" Brayden cheered, fist-pumping the air. "They've got a fighting spirit, just like me! I LOVE IT!" He raced after the eighth human. 

"I don't love it," Melody grumbled. "Honestly, we can't all run like that." She and the rest followed after them. Toriel was waiting in a large room with three rivers underneath wooden bridges. Vines were on the walls. So were signs.

"To make progress here, you will need to trigger several switches," Toriel explained. "Do not worry, I have labelled the ones you need to flip."

"Hee hee, triggered." Brayden laughed. Melody rolled her eyes. [A/N: I'm not sorry ;)]

"What does triggered mean?" Faye asked innocently.

"Um, anyway, let's do the puzzle." Clover spoke up, staying near her brother. Because the author doesn't really want to make this chapter super long, I'm gonna be lazy and fast-forward a little bit. The kids get to the dummy. It's a dummy in a small, purple room. You know the drill.

"As humans living in the underground, monsters may attack you," Toriel instructed. "You will need to be prepared for this situation."

"I don't want to hurt anyone!" Cody exclaimed, holding up his frying pan.

"Those monsters better watch out, 'cause I'm not afraid of 'em!" Brayden cheered, making more punching motions with his fists. Faye didn't know what to say. She'd wait and see what monsters were like before choosing how she would act towards them.

"There is no need to worry if you stumble across a monster for the process is simple," Toriel continued calmly. "When you children do encounter one, you will enter a FIGHT. While you are in a FIGHT, strike up a friendly conversation. Stall for time. I will come to resolve the conflict. Practice talking to the dummy." She gestured at the dummy.

"LET'S GO, DUMMY!" Brayden exclaimed, racing towards the dummy.

"Were you even listening?" Melody asked, chasing after him.

"Battle simulation, I must take notes." Percy mumbled, getting out his notebook.

"Let's, uh, not hurt the dummy!" Cody squeaked, racing after everyone else. His sister was behind him. Faye followed the eighth human. They didn't look like they wanted to hurt the dummy. The humans encountered the dummy. They were in that same battle simulation as before. Four options were there: FIGHT, ACT, ITEM, MERCY. Text was on the screen as well. It said, You encountered the dummy!

"Toriel said we should, uh, talk to the dummy!" Cody squeaked. He stared at the dummy's button eyes. "Uh, hi there! I'm Cody! It's nice to meet you. I don't really want to fight you, so how about we end this battle?" It doesn't seem much for conversation. "Well, you don't have to talk if you don't want to. It's okay!"

"Good job, bro." Clover told Cody. He gave her a grin, his green eyes faintly glowing.

"Can I beat it up now?" Brayden asked, staring at Melody. She shook her head. "Whyyyy?"

"Because violence is not always the answer." she responded. "That's what Toriel said - and adults are usually right." The eighth human nodded. They were sparing the dummy, their red SOUL glowing.

"Battle simulation, strange..." Percy mumbled, taking even more notes. "Humorous flavour text, yes..."

"I think we should spare the dummy." Faye spoke up quietly, faintly smiling. It was a nice dummy. Faye liked nice people.

"A true man knows when to spare." Brayden said, looking out into the distance. Imaginary wind made his bandanna flow behind him.

"We're kids, Brayden." Melody pointed out. "Also, you wanted to fight it ten seconds ago." Brayden looked like he wanted to beat her up.

"Didn't do anything wrong," Clover agreed, nodding. "No reason to hurt anyone innocent." The kids spared the dummy, the eighth human looking pleased. Toriel looked pleased.

"Ah, very good!" she congratulated them. "You are all very good. This way." She led the kids to the next room. It was quite large. There was a pale purple path on the purple ground. It went into a hall, then to a spike puzzle on some water. "There is another puzzle in this room... I wonder if you children can solve it? Perhaps by working together." Percy didn't look too happy about that. Faye understood. He liked being by himself.

"COME AT ME, PUZZLE!" Brayden yelled, running ahead.

"You need unlimited PATIENCE to deal with that boy." Melody groaned, chasing after him. Clover did as well. "Brayden, wait!" Toriel and the rest followed. They went through the hall and ran into a monster - Froggit.

"LET'S GO, FROG!" Brayden yelled at the frog, intimidating it.

"Poor frog," Faye pitied it. It looked like a frog with a pretty weird body. Percy was taking notes.

"Hey there little guy, we don't mean any trouble!" Cody told it, waving his hands.

"Don't attack anyone, y'hear?" Clover told the frog, giving it a death-stare.

"Let's just spare it," Melody sighed. The eighth human was nodding in agreement. "It's the right thing to do."

"But I wanna fight someone!" Brayden complained. Faye was quite happy not to fight anyone. Fighting sounded scary. Faye didn't like scary.

"No fighting, Brayden," Melody told him. "Only if we need to - and we don't. That goes for you too, Clover."

"Chill, Mel..." Clover mumbled.

"Bleh." Brayden snorted. Faye kept staring at him. "What're you lookin' at, Faye?!"

"Nothing." Faye replied, feeling embarrassed. She looked at the purple bricks. They were a really pretty colour and were covered in vines. It made Faye wonder how old this place was and what the bricks were made of...

Toriel showed up and glared at the froggit. It roamed away in shame.

"YEAH MS. GOAT LADY!" Brayden cheered. Melody glared at him. "I MEAN MS. TORIEL!"

Toriel only looked amused. "Come along, children." She led them to the spike puzzle. She stood in front of it, fear on her face. Faye could see why. That puzzle looked daunting. "This is the puzzle, but..." Toriel frowned. She stared at the eighth human, who was in front. "Could you all hold hands for a moment?" She took the eighth human's hand. They took Clover's hand and she took her brother's hand - very tightly.

"Uh, thanks... sis," he said, putting on a nervous smile. He grabbed Percy's hand (who looked uncomfortable) and Percy took Melody's. Melody faced Brayden. He didn't look too keen about holding her hand.

"You're brave, aren't you?" she asked. She held out her hand. "Show me."

"YOU CHALLENGIN' ME?!" he asked. "I COULD RUN AHEAD AND DO THIS MYSELF! GIMME YOUR HAND!" He grabbed Melody's hand too tightly. She groaned. Brayden turned around and faced Faye. "LET'S GO BESTIE!" He grabbed her hand as well. She looked happy about it. She was happy about it. Being with friends (especially Brayden) made her feel better.

Toriel led the conga-line of children across the puzzle. Faye was honestly being dragged along due to her fear. She was trying not to look back, but it was too hard. The spikes were getting dangerously close. She tightened her grip around her toy knife. Her parents gave it to her for reasons she didn't know. They gave it to her before they...

"Puzzles seem a little too dangerous for now." Toriel remarked when the puzzle was done. She headed to the next room. Faye wandered over to the eighth human. They were staring ahead, loosely gripping their stick.

"Hi," she said meekly. "I'm sorry if I'm annoying you. I just wanted to say... you're really smart. And it's... it's so cool how you don't have to talk and we get what you're saying. It's amazing! You... you really know everything." The eighth human smiled at her, only for a brief second. "You're welcome." The kids went to the next room. It was large and spaced out. There was a path on the floor. Toriel was waiting.

"You have done excellently thus far, my children," she told the kids. "However... I have a difficult request to ask of you all." She paused. "I would like you to walk to the end of the room as a group, without me. Forgive me for this." She raced ahead.

"WALK?!" Brayden asked. "Screw that, I'M RUNNING!" He ran away, abandoning everyone else.

"Get back here, pardner!" Clover yelled, chasing after him. "Toriel told us to stay together!"

"For goodness' sake..." Melody groaned.

"According to my calculations, they'll come back," Percy spoke up. "When they get bored, that is." Faye, meanwhile, was feeling very scared. She walked next to the eighth human, who was emotionless as usual.

"This is scary," she told them. "There's... usually always an adult around, and when there wasn't... we fell down a mountain. I nearly died. I'm scared." The eighth human didn't reply. "I'm scared. I miss home. I wanna go home. I want my parents to get better." She tried not to cry. The eighth human gave her a bandage. "I like bandages. Mommy always said it's a good idea to have bandages."

"HURRY UP, SLOW-POKES!" Brayden yelled. He didn't sound scared at all. Faye wondered how that was possible.

"Are you okay, Faye?" Cody walked over to the sad Faye. He pulled out a cookie and patted her shoulder. "Do you want this? I made it before."

"Thanks, Cody..." Faye said, taking the cookie. Cody was too nice. The eighth human put a bandage on Faye's cheek. The kids reached the end of the room.

"FINALLY!" Brayden yelled, groaning at them. Clover, standing next to him, was giving him a death-stare. Melody gave him a glare as well. Toriel came out from behind a pillar.

"Greetings, my children," she greeted them. "Do not worry, I did not leave you." Faye felt relieved. "I was merely behind this pillar the whole time. Thank you for trusting me. However, there was an important reason for this exercise. To test your independence as a group."

"Is that an oxymoron I hear?" Percy asked, looking up from his notes.

"The heck is an oxymoron?" Brayden asked, staring at him.

"An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction." Percy answered fluently.

"...what?" Brayden asked, looking even more confused.

"It's a phrase with two or more words that have opposite meanings," Melody translated. "For example, alone together, or open secret." How did she know? Well, when you're friends with Percy, you learn a lot.

"Ohhhhh." Brayden replied, sort of understanding.

"We can talk oxymorons later, y'all." Clover told them. She pointed at Toriel, who was patiently waiting.

"It is quite alright, my children," Toriel assured them. "As I was saying, I must attend to some business and you all must stay alone without me. Please stay here and together as a group. It's dangerous to go anywhere alone." She gasped. "I have an idea. I will give you a cell phone. If you children have a need for anything, just call. Be good, alright?" She handed the children a phone. She waved goodbye and left. Faye didn't feel very good.

"This phone is ancient," Percy gasped, observing the phone. "Oh wow, I haven't seen a phone like this for a long time. It doesn't even have texting! I can only add so much onto this - I need more tools." He raced off to fix the phone.

"What a geek." Brayden commented.

"Welp, Toriel's gone," Clover sighed. "I suppose we'd better travel by ourselves, y'all."

"Can't we wait a bit...?" Faye quietly suggested. "I mean..."

"BORING!" Brayden yelled, punching the air. "LET'S EXPLORE!" He gave everyone a thumbs up. "Ms. Toriel won't mind."

"Now, Brayden-" Melody began, but he was already running off. "I should've expected that." The eighth human was going after him, but walking, not running. "Wait up!" Soon, everyone was following them, except Faye. She was behind. She thought she could just wait by herself-

"COME ON, FAYE!" Brayden came back. "WE'RE NOT LEAVING ANYONE BEHIND!" He grabbed her arm and dragged her off. And so her great adventure began.


	3. The RUINS

~Faye~

Faye was not feeling anymore brave. She wanted to go home and hide from the terrors of the world. But here she was, being dragged through the RUINS with her friends. She patiently went alongside them, but she didn't feel positive about it.

"Can we... call Toriel?" she suggested, gripping her toy knife. She didn't want to kill or be killed. She distracted herself by looking at the new area. There were piles of fun red leaves and a Froggit near a door. Melody was dancing through a pile of leaves, humming to herself. She was a good singer. The eighth human was standing around and doing pretty much nothing in the leaves. Then they walked away and stood near Faye.

"THERE'S CANDY IN THIS ROOM!" Brayden yelled cheerfully from that door.

"Don't take all of it, pardner!" Clover snapped back at him, entering the room. It sounded like they were bickering inside.

"Cut it out, you two!" Melody grumbled, storming into the room. She joined in on the arguing.

"If you want." Percy handed Faye the phone. He took more notes about something. The eighth human and Cody looked interested in calling the goat lady as well. Coincidentally, Toriel actually rung the kids just as they were about to ring her.

"Hello, this is TORIEL," she greeted. "Are you all there?"

"Uh, not all of us," Cody answered, chuckling sheepishly. "I'll go and get the others if you want, Toriel!"

"That would be splendid, my child." Toriel replied. So Cody left the group and entered the candy room. That left the three silent kids and Goat Momma.

"Nice day today," Faye commented after an awkward pause. "I love sunny days. Lots of animals are out and about, it makes me so happy."

"The sun is good for your skin," Percy agreed. "However, only in small doses for vitamin D. Any more and you'll get a sunburn, your skin will be internally scarred, and will eventually, if put under enough pressure, get some kind of skin cancer."

"You are all funny children," Toriel laughed. "It is a pleasure to have you all."

"Thanks, I'm classic comedy!" Brayden replied, popping in between Percy and Faye. Percy looked disgusted but Faye didn't mind.

"More like classic catastrophe," Melody retorted, Clover and Cody standing near her. Brayden looked ticked off. "What did you want to say, Toriel?"

"Ah, you children have not left the room, have you...?" Toriel asked with concern. "There are a few puzzles ahead that I have yet to explain. It would be dangerous to try to solve them by yourselves."

"I'm sure we can handle it, Ms. Toriel." Brayden replied confidently. Faye didn't really agree, but she kept quiet.

"Well... be good, alright?" Toriel replied. She was about to hang up.

"Wait!" Faye squeaked, almost dropping her toy knife again. "Don't go yet! Um... I just wanted to say, uh... hi!" She almost said Mom. She missed Mom. Her aunt was great and smart and awesome, but she wasn't Mom. Faye probably wouldn't see Mom again. Or Dad, either.

"You only wanted to say hello?" Toriel asked. She chuckled. "Well then, hello, my child."

"Hi," Faye replied. Everyone was looking at her again. She didn't feel great. But she wanted to keep talking to Toriel. "It's a nice day today. I like nice days."

"It is a nice day, my child," Toriel said patiently. "You must be used to the sunshine, the growth of plants and many other wondrous things on the surface."

"Yeah," Faye replied, looking excited. "I like all the plants. There are so many plants and they're all really pretty. And in Spring, all the birdies have their little babies and they feed them all season..." Brayden looked bored and walked off. Clover gave Faye a pat on the shoulder and followed him. Percy walked off too, taking Melody with him. The genderless kid left as well. Only Cody stayed, though he looked a little anxious. Faye kept talking to Toriel for ages and ages. She was getting really attached.

"It was nice talking to you, uh, Toriel, but Faye, I think we'd better, um..." Cody pointed to the other kids who were in battle with a Froggit. The eighth human was trying to get everyone to spare it.

"Oh, okay," Faye gazed at the battle. It looked scary. But talking to Goat Momma made her feel better. "Goodbye, Mom - I mean... um... Toriel, can I call you Mom?"

"You wish to call me... 'mother'?" Toriel asked, sounding shocked and a little sad. She sighed, composing herself. "Well, if that is what you makes you happy... then call me whatever you like." She hung up. Faye looked happy.

"Maybe she'll let me call her Mom, too," Cody laughed. He sounded sad. "I miss Mom." Faye nodded in agreement. They walked over to the battle. The kids were now battling a Whimsun.

"BOO!" Brayden yelled, scaring it. It leaned away from him, shivering in fear. It didn't have very much confidence and immediately left the battle. Brayden laughed really hard. Faye stared at it and immediately felt sympathetic. She'd felt like that before.

"Brayden that was so rude," Melody told him. "We're supposed to be nice."

"Aw c'mon, it's fine," Brayden retorted, waving it off. "I only scared it a little!"

"It was a little, uh, mean, Brayden..." Cody spoke up anxiously. Faye herself agreed. The eighth human as well. Brayden was her best friend and she loved him and etc, but sometimes he could be a little... insensitive.

"Ehhhhh it's fine," Brayden shrugged. "Come on guys, there's more monsters we gotta fight! MERCY-FIGHTERS!" He raced off to the next room. "OH WHAT I'M FALLING DOWN SOMETHING!" The eighth human went after him.

"Brayden!" Melody groaned.

"I like that guy, but he's crazy, pardner," Clover told her, eyeing her brother and glaring at any monsters that dared to approach him. "He's always gettin' into trouble."

"But he's brave." Faye spoke up. Unlike me, she thought sadly.

"And then there's you who's his best friend," Melody commented, giving Faye a stare. "You're so different from him. How does that even work?"

"Human emotions are truly something my mere books cannot understand." Percy added, writing down notes.

"I don't know," Faye replied. "We've been friends for ages. We knew each other before I moved to Ebott. I didn't see him again until he moved to Ebott as well and went to the same school as me."

"Yes, you two went to the same school in Ebott but you didn't even meet each other until we became friends with Clover and Cody, I think." Melody commented.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING SLOWPOKES!?" Brayden entered the room, the eighth human following him. Faye waved at them. They waved back. "COME ON GUYS! WE'VE GOT THE UNDERGROUND TO FIIIGGGHTTTT!" Everyone groaned and entered the next room. Faye stalked behind, staring at the purple floor. "YOU TOO, FAYE!" She looked up at Brayden, who was impatient as usual.

"Okay." she said quietly. She walked up to the eighth human. They didn't say anything. She liked that. There was a lot about them to interpret. They were a walking mystery.

Now the lazy author wants to speed things up again, so I'm gonna fast-forward some things. Toriel called the kids while they were pushing a rock onto a button and getting rid of some dumb spikes. She asked if they preferred cinnamon or butterscotch. No one could agree on anything. Toriel said she'd bake a mixed pie, since she was going to do that anyway. Faye was happy about that. She liked pies. She wanted to keep talking to Toriel but no one else looked happy about that, so she refrained.

After that was a maze that had soft patches that you could fall down through. Brayden and the eighth human were already used to them. They led to a maze of red leaves. Avoiding them created a path that the kids had to follow on the soft stuff to complete the maze. Sort of confusing, go look it up if you don't get it. Percy drew a diagram and took notes. Melody held Brayden back so he didn't run into everything. Faye followed the eighth human who already solved the puzzle. Cody and Clover followed them as well. They ran into Moldsmal. The eighth human started flirting with it and shaking their hips.

"What in tarnation are they doing...?" Clover asked, confused.

"Something." Faye replied, lying down on the ground next to Moldsmal. It was very peaceful. She liked peaceful things.

"That is unlike any dance I've seen." Melody commented, moving away. Thankfully the kid spared Moldmsal after a bit.

"The heck was that?!" Brayden asked them, making a face. The kid shrugged and walked off, looking happy. Blah blah, the kids finished the puzzle. They did another puzzle with a sassy rock, who wouldn't move onto a button to get rid of some spikes. Melody told it off like a pro momma and it did what it was told. The kids fought some Froggits and Moldsmals (the eighth human was deadly serious with the whole mercy thing, Faye noticed) and went to the next room.

The eighth human stopped in there for a moment. It was a small room with a little table holding a plate of cheese. A mouse hole was in the wall. Faye walked up to it and listened to the mouse squeak too many times. The eighth human joined in for a bit.

"Hee hee, I love animals," Faye commented, looking at the eighth human. "I mean, I wanna be an investigator when I grow up... but I also kinda wanna be a vet."

"COME ON SLOWPOKES!" Brayden stormed over and dragged them away. The next room passed through a hall. On the ground were red leaves, which had a ghost pretending to sleep on them.

"Zzzz." they said, looking a little anxious. "(Are they gone yet?)"

"We can tell you're not sleeping." Melody told the ghost, folding her arms.

"OUTTA OUR WAY!" Brayden yelled, trying to move the ghost. A battle started with the ghost, whose name was Napstablook.

"Sorry for disturbing you," Faye mumbled quietly. "We just want to pass by."

"No need to fight." Cody agreed, waving his hands. The genderless kid blew a kiss at Napstablook, quite evidently flirting with it.

"Oh noo....." Napstablook said, crying. Their tears flew around the battle arena, hitting everyone's SOULs.

"OW!" Brayden groaned, covered in tear stains. He glared at the ghost. "YOU THINK YOU CAN CRY ON ME?!" He tried to punch Napstablook but it didn't work because you can't punch ghosts.

"I'm so sorry." Faye told the ghost, giving it a patient smile. Napstablook seemed to appreciate that.

"Heh..." they mumbled, crying some more. Clover was brushing tears off her cowboy hat. Napstablook is wishing they weren't here, text on a screen read. Faye related to them. She wished Toriel were here. The eighth human was giving Napstablook another flirty stare. Brayden didn't look very patient. Melody was holding him back as usual. Cody was staying near his sister. Percy, surprise surprise, was taking notes.

"Um..." Faye had an idea. "Hi, my name is Faye. You know, um... Napstablook, today I'm feeling a little airy. You could say I'm... Faye-ding away." She winked. Everyone else groaned except the eighth human who gave her a thumbs up.

"Heh heh..." Napstablook laughed. Napstablook wants to show you something. "Let me try..." A dapper hat appeared on their head. "I call it 'dapper blook'..." They paused. "Do you like it...." Napstablook eagerly awaits your response - er, responses.

"Really suits you." Melody answered. Brayden gave Napstablook a thumbs up.

"It looks really nice, Napstablook!" Cody answered cheerfully. "You look great!"

"Swell, pardner." Clover agreed.

"A dapper hat is a long-brimmed fedora with interchangeable, flashy feathers," Percy commented. "Often called a bowler hat, it was first invented in the late 1840s." Even I don't know why Percy would bother to learn where bowler hats come from - he is pretty smart. The eighth human flirted with Napstablook again, making them embarrassed.

"You look really nice." Faye told Napstablook.

"Oh gee..." Napstablook looked away. The battle was over. "I usually come to the RUINS because there's nobody around... but today I met somebody nice..." They paused, looking at all the impatient children (cough cough, Brayden and probably Clover, cough cough). "Oh, I'm rambling again. I'll get out of your way." They disappeared.

"FINALLY!" Brayden exasperated, punching the air.

"What a nice ghost." Faye said brightly, observing the purple walls again. She noticed the eighth human was moving right, going into a room. Faye followed them. They were in a tiny room with cobwebs on the wall. Apparently it was a spider bake sale. She watched them drop all their items aside from their stick and bandages and literally throw their money (or GOLD - monster currency) into the spider webs. Spiders crawled down and gave them six donuts. They looked disappointed about something.

"Wow, that's a lot of donuts," Faye told the child, appearing behind them. They shivered and turned around, their eyes opening for a brief second. They breathed out and the stoic expression resumed. "Oh, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm so sorry." The child shrugged and somehow put the donuts in their pockets. "Don't mind me asking, but... why did you buy so many donuts?" The child made some weird movements with their face and hands. Somehow it made sense to Faye. "For us? Wow... that's so nice!" She frowned. "But there's only six." The child made another movement. "No... I think you deserve a donut! We'll need food to heal, anyway..."

The child shrugged and left the room. Faye followed them.

"Where've you two been?" Clover asked. Cody grinned at them.

"They bought food for everyone," Faye answered, smiling at her new friend. "They're nice." The kids went to the next room, which was north.

"There's a spider bakesale," Percy was reading a sign. "Down and to the right. Apparently it's made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders. Cannibalism in its finest expression."

"There's food?!" Brayden asked eagerly. "Who could say no to food?!"

"These two went to the bakesale," Clover spoke up, pointing to the eighth human and Faye. "Accordin' to Faye, the stick kid bought some stuff for everyone."

"YEAH THAT'S THE STUFF!" Brayden cheered, running over to the eighth human. "Can I have it now?!" They shook their head. "Aw, whaaattt?! Why not?!" They did their weird-talking thing. "...for later? The heck?! I don't wanna wait! Gimme it now!"

"Don't pester them, Brayden." Melody scoffed, pulling Brayden away. Then the kids spoke to three froggits about things. Now they knew that monsters with yellow names meant you could spare them. And there were apparently four frogs. Faye wanted to look for the fourth frog, but everyone else wanted to move on, so she stuck with the gang.

The squad arrived at the next room. There were separate holes covered in the soft stuff that led to different places. Spikes blocked the way to the next room. The lever that got rid of them was down one of the holes. The eighth human seemed to know where to go. Faye watched them with interest. Brayden, of course, jumped into some random hole. Melody sighed. He came back up, looking bored.

"There wasn't anything down there." he grumbled. The eighth human popped out of a vent, the spikes now unblocked. Brayden stared at them. "WHOA! THAT KID KNOWS EVERYTHING!"

"Very high intellect." Percy agreed, taking more notes. The group walked towards the door. Suddenly, they got into a battle with Migosp and Moldsmal - the former didn't look too happy. Cody seemed to have an idea.

"You look sad," he told Migosp. "Do you want a hug?" He approached it, arms spread. The Migosp didn't look any happier and began throwing insects at Cody. The Moldsmal joined in and threw slime at the poor little cinnamon roll. He was knocked down quite a lot of HP. Everyone was pretty freaked (even Brayden, who was trying to hide it). Cody fell to his knees, laughing nervously. Faye put a bandage on his cheek. Cody ate one of his own cookies, healing himself.

Clover, naturally, was very ticked off. She pulled out her gun and aimed at the monsters, wearing her death-stare. "You'll pay for that, bandits." The eighth human suddenly looked a lot more concerned about the monsters than Cody. Clover bared her teeth and perfected her aim. She pulled the trigger...

....it hit the eighth human, who leaped in front of the monsters. Their eyes widened in shock, and they fell to their knees. Their SOUL was beating. Blood stained their shirt. The monsters ran away in fright. Faye watched in horror. Her new friend was dying.

"What in tarnation..." Clover almost dropped her pistol. "Kid! Are you alright there?!" She raced over to them. "What were thinkin'!?" The kid didn't respond. They held their chest, their hand getting covered in their own blood. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it would hitcha..."

"What were you doing?!" Brayden yelled at the eighth human, looking like he wanted to beat someone up. "WHAT WERE YOU DOING?! DO YOU WANNA DIE!?"

"Oh no, definitely a fatal hit," Percy spoke up, sounding monotonous (somehow). "It's a no-brainer. I'm sorry." Melody just looked sad. Her blue eyes were watery. Percy, for a moment, sounded hopeful. "But maybe there's something we can do. We can't give up yet."

"D-don't worry, I-I think I've got something!" Cody spoke up. He rummaged through his apron pockets. "There's food here! You can heal...! It's gonna be okay." Faye was watching the whole thing, too stunned for words. She just watched someone get shot. Of course, she'd seen terrible things before. Her parents when they... she didn't even want to remember. And she didn't want her new friend to die. Not after they just met. But what could she do? She was useless.

The kid had that horrified expression, but they quickly wiped it off. They stood up, clutching their chest.

"Uh, I don't think that's a good idea." Cody spoke up, holding out a cookie. The child ignored him and ran off to the left, faltering every few seconds.

"What are they doin'?!" Clover asked. She sounded angry and upset. Faye knew it wasn't a good time to talk to her. "Kid...! You'll get hurt!" She chased after them. So did Brayden, who was yelling about everything.

"Hope." Percy monotonously admired, eyeing the genderless kid. "It is the thing that shines brightest in the dark, yet cannot be seen. To have it costs you nothing but to be without it costs you everything." Faye wondered if she'd heard that from somewhere. She and the others followed the eighth human. They were headed somewhere. Brayden and Clover easily kept up with them, but the eighth human didn't seem too interested in stopping. They finally stopped in the room with the mouse and cheese. They stood still for a few moments, looking at something or doing something. Their injuries vanished and they restored their HP.

"What in tarnation...?" Clover asked, staring at them. "How'd you do that, pardner?" They shrugged.

"That's awesome!" Brayden cheered, fist-pumping the air. "Show me how to do that!" The others saw this as well. Cody gave the eighth human a hug, very relieved. Faye was watching in awe. There was something special about that kid. Something very special indeed.

"Incredible," Percy took more notes. "Some force must give you the power to heal. What is this force in question?" He stared at the eighth human. They walked off, not feeling like doing a Q&A. Faye watched them. They didn't like answering certain questions. They must be sensitive about certain subjects, then. That was okay. Faye felt the same sometimes.

"That is one strange kid," Melody breathed. She adjusted her bun. "But my goodness, I'm relieved. I didn't want them to die, even though it's really their fault we're down here."

"I like them," Faye spoke up. She really did. "I think they're nice."

"And they've got a head-start!" Brayden exclaimed. He took off, yelling a battle cry for some reason.

"It's all okay now, I think, Clover," Cody said, hugging his sister who still looked a little unsure. "Don't be sad! They're okay! And I'm sure they're not mad at all." Faye eyed them for a bit. She wondered what it was like to have a sibling. The only other only child was Percy, but he currently lived with Melody, so he wasn't really lonely.

Faye lived by herself with her aunt. She liked living with her aunt, even though she could be very busy. She mostly played by herself in the garden, building homes for the ants and finding sticks for the birds to make nests. If not, she explored her aunt's cute little house, building pillow forts and having tea parties with her soft toys. And occasionally going on the internet like all the cool kids. It was fun on her own, but it was better with friends. Or her parents, who weren't getting any better. She missed her parents.

Faye found the crew in another large, spacious room. There were pillars and coloured switches all around. The correct switch unblocked the path to the next room. The eighth human was solving the puzzle. Faye followed them. She followed people quite often. Her parents, her aunt, Brayden, her other friends, a sparrow bouncing along the sidepath, a stray cat, and now, the eighth human. They already knew what switches to press.

"That was amazing," she told them. "You're amazing. You... you never give up." The kid shrugged and continued solving the puzzle. Everyone was sort of watching them.

"That kid really is somethin' special." Clover observed.

"GO STICK KID!" Brayden cheered them on. "SOLVE THOSE PUZZLES!" While doing the puzzle, a monster named Loox appeared. Clover wasn't taking any chances and became super over-protective with her bro (even more than before, somehow). Loox didn't want to be picked on, so Faye didn't pick on them. Melody stopped Brayden from trying. Percy took notes. The regular.

The eighth human completed the rest of the puzzle because they're freaking awesome. Loox showed up a few times, but there was no real trouble. Not after the whole thing with the eighth human nearly dying. Faye thought they were really cool. Maybe they brought everyone down Mt. Ebott for a reason. They were that cool she wouldn't have been surprised.

The kids reached a room with a path going right and a path going north. The north path had red leaves. The kids went right, where a Froggit told them it saw Toriel with some groceries. There was a doorway that led to a view. The kids checked out the view for a moment, overseeing a purple city. A nice-looking, purple city. Faye wasn't a city girl, but she thought cities were pretty cool.

"I used to live in the city," Melody sighed. "Good times. It wasn't purple, though. I don't think cities are usually purple."

"Never liked cities," Clover commented. "Too many buildings."

"Most cities these days have a higher population density than rural areas," Percy commented, adjusting his glasses. "Surprisingly, not long ago it was vice-versa."

"Can we go now?" Brayden asked irritably. Faye admired the city a little longer. It was a nice city. She'd never seen a purple city before, so it was pretty cool. The eighth kid was emotionlessly standing there. It looked like nothing had ever happened to them. They were really cool like that.

"Yeah, this is kinda boring." Clover agreed, adjusting her cowboy hat. Faye wondered if she'd be super-protective with the eighth human now. She probably still felt bad about shooting them. Clover didn't like hurting people for no reason.

The kids left the view. Faye walked near the eighth human again. She definitely trusted them. They'd saved her life, they listened to her, and overall, they were pretty cool. And they wanted to be friends too, which was great! She kept following them as the kids walked up the red leaves, finding a dead tree on more red leaves. Faye felt sad. She didn't like dead trees very much. She felt better when Toriel walked over. Faye really liked Toriel. She was like a new mom.

"Hey Ms. Toriel!" Brayden greeted. Melody looked unhappy about it, as if it wasn't up to her greeting standards.

"Oh dear, that took longer than expected," Toriel sighed. She walked over to the kids. "How did you get here, my children? Are any of you hurt?" Faye checked herself out. She had bandages so she was okay. Cody seemed fine (he always had food stored around, so healing was no problem for him). Brayden was a bit hurt, probably from all the running. So was Melody, who was dusting off her tutu. Faye thought Melody's dancing skills were pretty sweet. And she knew a lot about music, too. Percy was okay (he was taking notes as usual). The eighth human was perfectly fine. They were actually a great dodger - the only time they had been hurt was when they saved the monsters.

"There, there, I will heal you," Toriel assured them. "I should not have left you all alone for so long. It was irresponsible to try to surprise you like this."

"Surprise?" Brayden asked. He cheered. "I LOVE SURPRISES!" Faye didn't, on the other hand. Surprises could be a little scary.

"Hee hee," Toriel chuckled. "Well, I suppose I cannot hide it any longer. Come, small ones!" She walked over to a purple brick house surrounded by red leaves. There were two small windows and a door. It was a cute house.

"I sure hope she doesn't turn us all into pie." Clover grunted, eyeing the house. She turned to the genderless kid, who was shaking their head. "How d'ya know, pardner?"

"They're very smart," Faye said quietly in their defense. "They know lots of things."

"Oh come on, even Percy's not that smart." Melody retorted. Percy frowned and focused on his books.

"Maybe they're special," Cody replied, smiling at the eighth human. "They saved some monsters! They're amazing!" The eighth human looked away, like they were embarrassed.

"Why did you save 'em, though?" Clover asked the eighth human. "Pardner I nearly... killed you. It was really brave but... why? What's the deal 'ere?" They didn't answer. They faced the house and began walking towards it. "Are you gonna answer my question?"

"Don't worry about it sis, I'm sure they will!" Cody said, patting his sister's shoulder. She sighed.

"SURPRISES!" Brayden yelled, racing towards the house. Melody looked really done with everything. Faye felt unsure. She really hoped Toriel wouldn't turn them into pie, because that would stink. Regardless, she followed everyone else, admiring the RUINS. The eighth human stood on the leaves for a bit, doing something, then entered. They really were a strange kid.

"They really are a strange kid - honestly I'm not sure if we can trust them," Melody commented, humming a tune to herself and not realizing she basically copied the author's dialogue. She danced through the leaves. "You look scared, Faye." Faye squeaked. "Well, aren't we all scared?" She walked over to her and linked arms. "I'm not Brayden, but I'm something that will help you I should hope. Let's go in and see what's next." This was one of those times where Melody was really nice to Faye. Being one of the two other girls (especially since Clover was a Western-obsessed tomboy), she understood some things.

The two went in together, hopes high.


	4. Faye's Patience

~Faye~

Faye was very happy when she found out Toriel's house was really nice. It had a pale wood floor, a staircase leading down to somewhere and wood walls. It had a very home-y feel. It was like Faye's aunt's house. Now she missed her cool aunt. She felt sad again. At least Melody was smiling at her (especially since Melody didn't smile very much). The eighth human looked bored as usual.

Toriel was standing in front of the staircase. "Surprise!" she said brightly. "Do you smell that?"

"Yeaaahhh, somethin' smells gooooood." Brayden replied, looking hungry.

"Is that pie?" Cody asked eagerly. He knew a lot about food.

"It is, my child," Toriel replied, nodding. "It is a butterscotch-cinnamon pie. I thought we might celebrate your arrival. I want you all to have a nice time living here. So I will hold off on snail pie for tonight."

"Snail pie? Ewww." Melody commented, crinkling her nose. The others nodded in agreement.

"I'd try it!" Brayden said boldly, like he was being challenged. Faye wondered if he was being brave or just crazy. She knew she wouldn't eat snail pie.

"Living here?" Clover asked, folding her arms. "Don't you mean showin' us how to leave 'ere?"

Toriel paused like she was contemplating something. Then she said, "Erm, how about you children have your pie now? I need to prepare your room, anyway." She led the kids to the left. Clover looked suspicious. Faye felt happy. She liked pie. The room to the left was large with a wooden floor and pale walls. There was a fireplace, a bookshelf with old books (Percy walked right over to it), a large armchair and a fireplace. A brown table was near the corner of the room. It was surrounded by chairs. Plates holding pie were sitting on the table, letting off steam.

"Here we are." Toriel spoke calmly, pointing at the table.

"AWESOME!" Brayden yelled, pretty much running into the chair. Melody sighed.

"This isn't poisoned, right?" Clover asked, eyeing Toriel. The disturbed goat woman shook her head. The eighth human was giving Clover a thumbs-up. Faye smiled at her as well. She liked Toriel. All the kids sat around the table. Melody was trying to get Brayden to not be so messy while he was eating. Cody was asking Toriel about the recipe. Percy was reading a book he'd found on the shelf. Clover was eyeing her bro. The eighth human slipped the pie into their pockets.

"You're saving it for later?" Faye asked, watching them. "That's a good idea. I'll do that too." She put the pie in her pockets. She wasn't really hungry anyway. Unlike pretty much everyone else, she wasn't the biggest fan of food.

"Ohhh this is AMAZING!" Brayden yelled, making a huge mess.

"Brayden you're making a huge mess!" Melody grumbled, glaring at him and unintentionally copying what the narrator said.

"Toriel said the recipe requires quite a lot of butter," Cody mused, tapping his chin. "That's okay - I think there's butter at home."

"Okay, this is actually darn swell," Clover commented, finishing her pie. She eyed the genderless kid. "I hope you're right 'bout it not bein' poisoned."

"Astonishing," Percy gasped emotionessly, reading a book. "According to this book, humans attacked monsters. They retreated underground, eventually arriving at a cavern. There, they built a town: Home, named by the king. Apparently he stinks at names. I presume that city we saw is Home - or was Home."

"Humans attacked monsters?" Clover asked, looking up. "What was that war all about, anyway?"

Percy took out his notes. "Recordings say that monsters tried to take our SOULs - as they give them great power. We fought to protect ourselves and sealed monsters underground with a magic spell." He wrote more notes. He hadn't touched his pie.

"But what about the monsters?" Faye asked, biting her lip. "Are they really that mean?"

"Yeah, I think monsters are nice - if we just give them a chance." Cody agreed. He ignored the look his sister had on her face.

"The perspective from the monsters is ambiguous," Percy answered. "All I could find was the perspective from the humans. That's why I wanted to visit the library - to expand my knowledge."

"I have no idea what you're saying." Brayden commented, looking confused. He stared at Percy's pie. "Hey, Nerd Boy, you haven't had your pie. Can I have it?" Percy nodded. Brayden grinned and took it. Melody sighed. Faye thought about monsterkind. Why did the war happen? Why were humans so mean? Or were monsters mean? Now she was tired.

Toriel led the children to a bedroom in a hall (after Cody checked out the kitchen and Percy got more books). Toriel noted Cody's love of cooking and Percy's love of books.

"You must be an avid reader, my child," Toriel told Percy. "I will find more books for you to read." Percy looked happy about that. Faye was glad everything was being all cool. Now she could sleep. The bedroom Toriel gave them was rather small. It was a red colour scheme: red carpet, red bed, red chests and wardrobes, toys, lamps, a drawing on the wall and red shoes. The only thing that wasn't red was a large, blue bed in the corner. And a bunch of sleeping bags on the floor. It was a pretty kiddish room; it must've belonged to a child beforehand.

"I apologize for the slight mess," Toriel said, gesturing to the room. "I moved my bed in here so some of you can share it. There are also sleeping beds for those of you who are okay with sleeping on the floor."

"I'm okay with sleeping on the floor." Cody said, making a small smile.

"I don't mind." Faye replied, also grinning. The genderless kid nodded, also cool with sleeping on the ground.

"I BAGS THIS BED!" Brayden yelled, jumping into the little red bed. That left Percy, Melody, Clover and the big, blue bed.

"I'll sleep on the floor." Percy spoke up quickly, clutching his notes. He moved away from the girls. Melody and Clover eyed each other.

"You're not taking your gun into the bed." Melody told Clover, folding her arms.

"Why not?" Clover asked, cocking her head. "You're wearin' your flip flops."

"They're ballet slippers!" Melody snapped. "And I don't wear my shoes to bed, thank you very much."

"Girls." Clover groaned, rolling her eyes. Brayden had a yeah, I get you bud look on his face.

"Now, now," Toriel spoke calmly. "How about I read you all a bedtime story to help you sleep?" Faye thought that sounded really nice. Her aunt always told great stories - and so did her parents. They made the world a little cooler.

"Seriously?!" Brayden asked, punching the pillow. "Bedtime stories are for babies!"

"I like bedtime stories." Faye said quietly, frowning.

"I don't mind a story every now and again." Melody agreed. She sat on the blue bed; Clover sat next to her. "One would be nice."

"I love bedtime stories!" Cody expressed cheerfully. He grinned at Clover. "Remember Mom used to tell them?" Clover adjusted her cowboy hat.

"Yeah," she said, sounding kind of dead inside. "I remember."

"I like making my own stories." Percy commented, sounding very dead inside (as always). The genderless kid just nodded.

"Tell us a story, Ms. Toriel!" Cody spoke up brightly. "Please?"

"Yeah, do that," Clover agreed, making the blue bed comfortable. All the kids aside from Brayden sat down on it and stared at Toriel with eager eyes (aside from the eighth human who was emotionless and Percy who was Percy). "If Brayden wants to miss out, then I say let him. He can go to sleep."

"FINE, I WILL!" Brayden yelled, turning over and placing the pillow over his head. Toriel chuckled. She pulled out an old book. Its cover was worn and the pages were starting to tear. Toriel put on her reading glasses. She smiled. Faye leaned forward eagerly, ready to listen. She was a good listener. That's what people had told her.

"This is a story about the peaceful life of humans and monsters," Toriel began. "Once upon a time, there were two races: HUMANS and MONSTERS. One day, there was a great war between them. However, unlike in the story we know... there was a different ending." Brayden looked over from his little bed. Faye guessed he didn't really like missing out. "A BRAVE and KIND monster, instead of fighting the humans, reasoned with them. They convinced the humans to stop fighting as it was wrong."

"Wow, what a nice monster." Cody commented, looking happy.

"However, there was one human who was DETERMINED to destroy monsterkind," Toriel continued. "They killed everything in their path. They could not be stopped, even by their own people."

"That's awful!" Cody exclaimed.

"What a mean person." Faye said sadly, making a face.

"I hope they got destroyed." Clover agreed, glaring at the ceiling. The genderless kid looked uncomfortable about something. Brayden came over and sat next to Faye. She smiled at him. Melody rolled her eyes, an I knew he would do that expression on her face.

"The monster heard about this human," Toriel went on, adjusting her glasses. "They knew the human was only scared and they needed a friend to guide them. So they approached this human. The human, aggressive, of course wanted to fight this monster."

"Oh no! They didn't die, did they?!" Cody asked, hugging his sister.

"That would be sad..." Faye commented, looking away.

"A great hero," Brayden agreed, dramatically pointing his fist at the ceiling. "True courage was shown."

"Now you're into this?" Melody asked him, raising her brow. "A few seconds ago you were saying bedtime stories are for 'babies'."

"Some are good!" Brayden retorted, blowing a raspberry at her.

"Ah, do not fear, my children," Toriel said, grinning. "For the monster was DETERMINED as well. Not in the ways of evil, but in the ways of PACIFISM. With their words, their actions, their KINDNESS... They were able to convince the human to stop killing. The human, from there on, spared every monster they encountered. Thanks to this monster, the war was over. Humans and monsters lived in peace, happily ever after." She closed the book. "And that, my children, is why you should SPARE all monsters you encounter - it will reward you beyond anything GOLD can afford."

Cody sniffled. "That was so nice! I love happy endings!"

"The moral was good, too," Melody commented, looking satisfied. "MERCY will bring peace."

"I guess that was alllriiiggghhttt for a bedtime story." Brayden snorted, though he looked like he enjoyed it.

"I am glad you children enjoyed it," Toriel said, standing up. Her eyes were kind. "Now, time for bed." Everyone climbed into their beds. Faye got into her sleeping bed, which was near Brayden's bed. The genderless kid wasn't too far away. Cody looked fine in his sleeping bag. So did Percy. Clover and Melody were eyeing each other as they shared Toriel's bed. Clover got rid of her gun and Melody took her ballet shoes off to make it fair.

"Good night, my children," Toriel told the children, turning the lamp off.

"Night!" Brayden yelled, instantly falling asleep.

"Goodnight, Toriel!" Cody replied. He smiled. "Goodnight, guys!"

"Night, bro," Clover replied. She sounded annoyed. "Melody, get your leg off my butt."

"Well take your cowboy hat off!" Melody snapped back.

"The hat does not come off." Clover replied darkly. "The gun, alright, but the hat - we don't go there, pardner." Melody sighed.

"Goodnight." Percy said, sounding like a drone. He pulled out a little flashlight and started reading a book.

"Goodnight." Toriel repeated, leaving the room. She closed the door.

"Alright, y'all," Clover sat up. "We need to plan ahead. As nice as this place is, we can't stay here."

"We can ask Toriel in the morning," Cody suggested. "She's really nice. I'm sure she'll let us go." Faye frowned. She didn't really want to leave. She liked it here. She liked Toriel. She hadn't felt this nice since her parents were...

"Yes, but we don't know if there even is an exit," Percy added, getting out his notepad. "And even if there is, what might we run into on the other side? Danger level is high."

"We've gotta take risks sometimes, pardner," Clover retorted, winking at him. "Unless ya wanna stay 'ere." Percy shook his head. "Anyway, let's see what Toriel says tomorrow. I darn hope she lets us go peacefully, because I ain't stayin' here if she says no." She clenched her fists. "I hate this place. I wanna go home."

"We all do, dimwit," Melody told her. She sounded angry and upset. "I don't know if we can leave this place. I'm scared. The stick-wielding child almost died today. So did your brother. No - we ALL almost died today. We may never leave this place. I'm really scared." She wiped away a tear. "But I don't think we can give up."

"We cannot," Percy agreed. His notebook was full of hopeful words. "We can never give up. Staying DETERMINED is the only way to survive this world."

"I think it'll be okay if we stick together," Cody spoke up. It sounded like he was crying. "We'll be okay. We just gotta stick together."

"Yep," Clover agreed, smiling herself. "If we stick together, we'll be fine." She paused. "Night, y'all." She turned over and went to sleep.

"Goodnight." Cody replied, sinking into his sleeping bag. So did everyone else who was in a sleeping bag, apart from Faye. Faye sighed. She was holding back tears. She didn't really want to leave this place. She faced it: her parents were never going to get better. They would be in hospital no matter how long she waited. She could remember the day it happened...

Faye was at her grandmother's house, simply playing with the house cat. It was a boring Saturday afternoon, even though Faye could usually find something to entertain herself - even dust bunnies. Anyway, her mom and dad had to go to some boring adult meeting and her grandmother had to look after her, even though she was old and frail and etc. Faye would've gone to Brayden's house, but he'd gone away on a short holiday with his family. So here she was.

The day was pretty normal and boring. But peaceful, too. It didn't really feel like anything could go wrong - which, naturally, is when things go extremely wrong. Well, actually, things didn't go wrong. No. Things went tragic and awful.

It all happened when some police showed up at Faye's grandmom's. They spoke to the grandmom about stuff Faye didn't really understand. But Granny didn't look too happy. Then the police turned to Faye. They kneeled down to her height and spoke in a friendly tone.

"Hey, sweetie," one policewoman spoke gently. "For a little while, you're going to be staying at your aunt's house in Ebott. Your parents are... they were..." She paused. "They're a bit.... Sick and can't really take care of you for a while."

"Sick...?" Faye asked. She sounded small and confused. She couldn't really remember who her aunt was. She didn't know how her parents got sick. "Where are they?"

"In hospital," the policewoman replied, trying to sound calm. "They need to stay there until they get better."

"Can I stay there, too?" Faye asked. She wanted to cry.

"No, you can't stay in hospital, sweetie," the policewoman replied patiently. "You'll be staying at your aunt's. We'll take you there." Faye cried like a little baby. She took her ribbon and toy knife, which her parents gave her before they went to hospital. Then Faye begged the police to let her see her parents before they took her to her aunt's. The police allowed a short visit. Her parents were on those big beds, lots of tubes sticking out of them. They were wearing green garments.

"Why do they look like that?" Faye asked. She cried some more. "Mommy... Daddy...? Are you..." She overheard parts of a conversation from some other family members.

"Car crash...." one guy said. "Yeah, serious... here for a while..."

"They need them to get better, sweetie," the policewoman told Faye. She took her hand. "But don't give up on them - they will get better. You just need to wait. Now, c'mon - we should go to your aunt's." Then Faye left her old home. She didn't speak to Brayden about what happened - she couldn't bring herself to. She just left without saying a word to anyone. She moved to her aunt's house and went to a new school. She became very sad and lonely. She didn't have anyone to follow anymore, despite how cool her aunt was. She thought about her parents a lot. But she knew she had to keep waiting, because one day, they would get better...

If not, there was a mountain she could climb. But what would Brayden say about that? What would her family say about that? She decided to wait a little longer, just for them.

Lying in the sleeping bed, Faye felt even more hopeless. It'd been ages since that car accident. Her parents were still in hospital. She was still waiting, but it felt pointless. They were never going to get better. Maybe she should stay here with Toriel. Everyone else could leave, but she would stay here. Then she wouldn't get in the way, because that's all she felt she was good for. Besides, she liked it here. Toriel was nice. This was a nice house. She liked the RUINS, too. It would be best for everyone if she stayed here...

Suddenly, Faye heard a weird rustling noise. It sort of zapped her back into reality. Brayden had somehow done a 90 degree turn and now his head was on Faye's sleeping bag. Faye thought it was kind of cute. She pet his head. But he wasn't the rustling sound. In fact, it was the eighth human who was rolling around in their sleeping bag. They looked like they were having a nightmare. They suddenly sat straight up, fear in their eyes - their open eyes. They were panting. They took a few deep breaths to calm themself, and their eyes closed. Then they stood up and left the room.

Faye knew it wasn't very polite, but she snuck after them. They went down the hall and came to the room with the dining table. Toriel was sitting on an armchair, reading a book. Faye hid behind the doorframe and watched the kid. They approached Toriel, their head bent down.

"Greetings, my child," Toriel greeted them. "Are you having trouble sleeping? That is alright. You may sit here until you feel sleepy." She moved over and let the eighth human sit on the armchair. They looked content. Toriel smiled at them. "I did not say this before, young one... but you look very similar to a child who fell down here long ago. When I first saw you, for a brief moment, I almost thought you..." She sighed. Faye remembered seeing a picture in the bedroom: it was called the 'Fallen Angel'. It looked the eighth human but with wings and an awesome suit. Faye wasn't really sure what it represented, but it looked cool.

Toriel composed herself. "Regardless, it is wondrous to have you all here, my child. You are very different from that other human anyway. I'm sure we will live a happy life here. Now, would you like me to read you another bedtime story to help you sleep?" The eighth human nodded. Toriel smiled. She pulled out a book. "This is a story about a human who loved golden flowers..."

Faye listened to the whole story. She herself almost fell asleep - I mean, the eighth human certainly fell asleep. Toriel chuckled and carried them back to the bedroom. She placed them into their sleeping bag and kissed the crown of their head. Then she noticed Faye, who was pretty much asleep in the hall.

"What are you doing out here, my child?" she asked. Faye yelped and woke up. "Are you having trouble sleeping as well?" Toriel kneeled down, picked Faye up and carried her back into the bedroom as well. She placed her into the sleeping bag. Toriel had moved Brayden back into his bed so he wasn't sleeping on her anymore.

"Mommy," Faye spoke quietly. "Are we staying here forever, or are we gonna go home...?"

Toriel kissed Faye's forehead. "This is your home now, my child. Everything beyond the RUINS is dangerous. But I promise you you will be happy here."

"Okay, Mommy..." Faye replied, yawning. "Goodnight." She closed her eyes and fa(ye)ded away into the world of dreams.

"How can I help you, my children?" Toriel asked the next morning, sitting on her armchair. Everyone was awake now. Faye hadn't told the eighth human she spied on them. That she would keep to herself. She hadn't told her friends she wanted to stay, either. Well, not yet, anyway.

"How'd we exit the RUINS?" Clover asked, folding her arms.

"Erm... do you want to hear about the book I am reading?" Toriel asked, chuckling anxiously. "It is called, '72 Uses for Snails'. How about it?"

"How do we exit the RUINS?" Clover repeated, slower but more sternly.

"I'd like to hear about... um... seventy-two uses for snails!" Faye piped up quietly.

"I have an interest in all books, though I'm not really sure how one could come up with seventy-two uses for snails." Percy commented, making a face.

"Ah, well, here is an exciting snail fact!" Toriel replied cheerfully, ignoring Clover's death glare. "Did you know that snails-"

"Blah blah, who cares?!" Brayden interrupted. He scowled. "Look Ms. Toriel, we wanna leave this place! So show us where the exit is!" He fist-pumped the air. Melody was staring at him. "Uh... please?"

"... I have to do something," Toriel replied. She stood up, removed her glasses and put the book away. "Stay here." She quickly walked away, headed for the stairs. The eighth human followed her. So did everyone else. Well, Cody was a little hesitant.

"Should we really do this?" he asked, biting his lip. "I mean, Toriel-"

"D'ya wanna leave or not, bro?" Clover asked, tilting her head.

"Well, if it's where you're going, I'll come as well!" Cody replied, grinning. He followed everyone else. Faye was very hesitant. But she eventually crawled down the stairs, which led into a scary, purple basement. Toriel had a serious expression on her face.

"You all wish to return 'home', do you not?" she asked, sounding upset. "Ahead of us lies the end of the RUINS. A one-way exit to the rest of the underground. I am going to destroy it. No one will ever able to leave. Now be good children and go upstairs." She continued walking.

"Oh I don't think so." Clover retorted, chasing after Toriel. Brayden and the eighth human did as well. The rest of the group followed, Faye very behind. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay with Toriel and be happy. But she never got her way.

"You naive children," Toriel spoke as the group approached. She sounded serious and solemn. "If you leave the RUINS... they... ASGORE... will kill you. He declared he would destroy any human that fell down here. I am only protecting you all, do you understand? ...go to your room." She continued walking. Despite the risk, everyone followed. Even Faye, who really didn't like this.

"Do not try to stop me," Toriel warned as they all approached a dark hallway. "This is your final warning." She kept walking. Faye couldn't really take this anymore. She didn't want to leave. Her parents were never going to get better. She couldn't go back there and keep waiting. She wanted to stay here with Toriel forever and ever and live a nice happy life.

"Guys..." she said it quietly. No one heard her. "Guys!" They all looked at her. All the attention made her freak out. "I... I'm sorry. I... um... I have something to tell you. I..." She sniffled. "I... I don't want to go with you... I want to stay here with Toriel..." She tried not to cry. "If I come... I'll just get in the way... I always do... you guys can go on ahead. Don't worry about me... I'll..." She cried a little. "I'll be okay here."

"What?" Brayden shoved past everyone else. He glared at Faye. "You're not staying here, FAYE! This is a group and we stick together no matter what!"

"Says the boy who runs off and abandons everyone else." Melody commented dryly. Brayden ignored her.

"I... I think I should..." Faye said sadly, looking away. "I-"

"NO!" Brayden yelled, interrupting her. "Staying here isn't gonna help anyone, Faye! You won't get in the way if you come with us - you'll get in the way if you stay HERE! YOU'LL BE STUCK HERE FOREVER!" He faced everyone else. "GUYS! If we wanna have any chance of leaving this dump we need to stay together! We need to fight for our freedom as a team!" He turned back to Faye. "You can't stay here like a coward, FAYE! If you do, you're just giving into the enemy!"

"I..." Faye frowned. "I... I can't... fight anything... and I like it here..."

"LIAR! I've seen you fight stuff before!" Brayden retorted, storming towards her. "Yeah, okay, this place is nice but it's not HOME! Don't you wanna go home and see your aunt and whoever?!" Faye shrugged. "I KNOW you're not a coward - you're being BRAVE for your family, who's, like, sick and all that! All their hopes and dreams will be GONE if you stay here!" Faye had to admit that was a good point. "And what about US?! Are we your friends or what?!"

"Um..." Faye didn't know what to say. She wanted to ask why Brayden never gave up on her.

"LOOK, you're not staying here," Brayden continued. He sighed. "Y'know, I missed you when you left that old place ages ago. You didn't even say WHY. You just left. Then I met you again at the new school and I was happy - but you were, like, super quiet and sad and kept beating yourself up about stuff. And now you wanna stay here 'cause of all that crap!?" Faye looked ashamed. Brayden looked ticked off. "WELL, I'M YOUR BEST FRIEND AND I SAY NO MORE OF THAT! I'M TIRED OF YOU BEATING YOURSELF UP! LOOK, IF YOU DON'T WANNA COME, I'LL MAKE YOU! I WILL FREAKING DRAG YOU ALL THE HOME! WHY?! BECAUSE YOU'RE PART OF THIS TEAM AND I - WE - THINK YOU DESERVE TO COME WITH US, EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK SO! YOU'RE NOT STAYING HERE!"

Faye was sitting on the floor now. Melody held Brayden back as she always did.

"I totally ship it." Percy whispered to Clover and Cody. "It's my OTP."

"Same." Melody replied over her shoulder.

"Fayeden for life." Clover added. The eighth human gave everyone a thumbs up.

"What the heck!?" Brayden asked, staring at them. "What the heck does 'ship' mean?! And that's NOT how you say my name!" Faye blushed and covered her mouth.

"Look, Faye," Melody sighed. "Don't worry about Brayden. He just really cares about you and wants you to come with us. But if you really want to stay here, then he can't stop you. It's your choice."

Faye smiled. "I... I think I'll come."


	5. Heartache

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUYS I JUST REALISED THIS IS THE SAME AS CHAPTER 4 I WANT TO DIE 
> 
> Thanks to the reviewer that pointed this out!!! I am very embarrassed. XD

"You want to leave so badly?" Toriel asked. She wasn't facing the kids. Instead, she was facing a purple door with that symbol on it. It was surrounded by purple walls. She sounded upset. "Hmph. This is foolish. There is only one solution to this…" She sounded like she was holding back tears. "Prove yourselves… Prove to me you are all strong enough to survive." She turned around, the lights going out. Faye felt awful again.

"I… We don't wanna fight!" Cody sniffled. His sister patted his head.

"I won't argue with the cowgirl or Melody again, I promise!" Brayden added. Even he didn't want to fight, which almost surprised Faye.

"Toriel, we don't have to fight," Melody spoke up. "You yourself said it's not right." But Toriel wasn't listening. She stared at the kids with intense, red eyes. The genderless kid had their head down… were they regretting something? Toriel blocks the way! The screen read. Percy was examining her status.

"ATK - 80, DF - 80," he said, taking notes. "The strongest monster we've encountered so far. According to the text box, she knows best for us." Faye had to agree with that. Toriel was a great mom. But right now, Faye didn't want to be scared of Toriel. She wasn't going to argue or fight back like the others. No. She had a different plan. She was going to stop Toriel from fighting by doing nothing at all.

Toriel took a deep breath. She made fireballs like the one that hit Flowey rain from everywhere. Everyone scrambled to avoid them. But Faye didn't. She stood still, letting them hit her. Her HP went down to 13. She tried not to flinch. She had a plan.

"What the heck, Faye?!" Brayden asked. "Move or you'll get hit!" But Faye didn't move. She kept standing still in the same place.

"Look ma'am, I don't wanna hurtcha," Clover told Toriel, holding out her gun. "But if you don't stop now I'll have ta." The genderless kid shook their head at her. "You really don't like hurting monsters, do ya?"

"Toriel, I'm sorry!" Cody whimpered. "If we made you upset, then I'm sorry! I don't want to fight you anymore!" The genderless kid simply spared her and non-verbally encouraged the others to do the same. Toriel looks through you. Toriel brought down another wave of flames. They were shaped like an hourglass. Percy was figuring out a strategy to avoid them. The genderless kid just flowed around them like they did it for breakfast. They didn't get hit at all. They seemed to be more worried about making sure the others didn't get hurt.

Faye still didn't move. Her HP dropped to 7. She didn't say anything. She just held onto her toy knife and faded ribbon. Toriel prepares a magical attack. The kids (even a hesitant Clover) spared Toriel again, causing the goat lady to look confused. Faye stayed still as Toriel unleashed her next attack. Her HP was 3. Brayden was glaring at her. So was everyone else.

"Faye, ya need to move." Clover told her.

"You'll, uh, get hurt!" Cody agreed.

"It's most likely you'll die." Percy added. He didn't sound fazed at all. Just emotionless and stoic. Faye didn't say anything. She just stayed still. Toriel unleashed another attack. Faye still didn't move. The genderless kid leaped in front of her, protecting her from Toriel's attacks. Toriel is acting aloof.

"What are you doing?" Toriel asked discontentedly.

"MOVE, FAYE!" Brayden yelled at her. Faye ignored even him. Toriel attacked with more fire. The genderless kid kept defending Faye. They were doing a pretty good job, since they had to defend themself as well. They gave Faye a short look that was saying the same message: move!

Faye ignored it. She kept staring at Toriel, holding her knife. It was actually a little creepy. Even Toriel was fazed for a moment.

"Attack or run away!" the goat woman commanded, bringing down more fire. Clover was protecting her brother whilst resisting the temptation to shoot. Percy was avoiding Toriel's attacks and taking notes. Melody was jumping out of the way. Brayden was sort of running all over the place. It seemed he took this no-fighting nonsense as a challenge now. And convincing Faye to move. She wouldn't budge.

"What are you proving this way?" Toriel asked, twitching. She stared at Faye. "What are you doing?" Even more fire. The genderless kid was getting slightly hurt from all this protecting. They looked a bit annoyed that Faye wasn't moving. It seemed their patience was running out. But Faye knew what she was doing. Toriel takes a deep breath.

"Fight me or leave!" she commanded. No one fought her. Faye didn't move. The genderless kid looked really done with her antics. They gave her a look that said, either move now or protect yourself, dimwit. Faye didn't reply. Everyone looked at her again. Brayden looked pretty done as well.

"Stop it," Toriel spoke. She stared at Faye when she said this. "Move, child!" Even Toriel wanted Faye to move. But she didn't, of course. She got down to 1HP because the genderless kid was really sick of her. But they didn't want her to die, because they started protecting her again since she was on the verge of death. Faye didn't say anything. She kept staring at Toriel.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Toriel asked her. "Why will you not move?" Faye didn't answer. She'd taken on the genderless kid's approach to answering questions. Toriel attacked again, a solemn expression on her face. "I do not understand. What are you doing?" Her attacks continued coming, but Faye still refused to move. The genderless kid, although ticked off, continued defending her.

"What is that crazy girl doing?" Melody asked. "The genderless child will get sick of her sometime, won't they?"

"I have no darn idea," Clover replied, making a face.

"Faye is very patient," Percy commented, reading his notes. "It's likely she's waiting for something."

"Waiting for something?" Brayden asked, looking confused. "What the heck could she be waiting for?!" Cody had a worried expression on his face. He watched Faye, not liking where this was headed. Toriel continued bringing down fire. Faye didn't move. The genderless child defended her. Toriel frowned.

"My child…" she said sadly, looking at Faye. "They cannot defend you forever, do you understand? You must move." Faye didn't say anything. She didn't move. "I do not understand what you are trying to prove." Her fireballs came down. The genderless kid looked tired. Faye thought about her parents. Brayden was right. Who was going to wait for them if she stayed here? What would her aunt do? What would her friends do? She knew deep down she really couldn't stay here. It wouldn't help anyone. And Faye wanted to help people.

"I…" Toriel looked upset. "Is there something wrong…?" Her fireballs came down again, but they intentionally didn't hit anyone. Faye still didn't move, though she started feeling sad. "Are you waiting for something? Do you really dislike movement? I do not understand." Toriel sounded upset. "What is it that you want, child?" Everyone was staring at Faye now, even the genderless kid. Faye was secretly grinning. Toriel had stopped fighting. She'd done it. She'd waited her out.

"I don't want anything, really," Faye finally spoke. "I just want to go home." No one else spoke. Not even Brayden yelling something or Melody making a sarcastic comment. They all just listened.

Toriel replied depressingly, "I know you want to go home, but... please, go upstairs now. I promise I will take good care of you."

"I want to stay so much, Toriel, but…" Faye sighed. "But you can't always get what you want." She stared at her friends. She felt like crying until her eyeballs fell out. She missed her parents, her old home, everything. Then she came to a reminiscence of those things - and now she had to abandon them all. She didn't want to, of course - but there were more important things.

"I know we do not have much, but…" Toriel had a sad smile. "We can have a good life here. All of you." She was sitting on the ground. Something seemed... weak about her. Faye bit her lip. She gripped her toy knife. It was time.

She ran forward, her toy knife aimed for Toriel's chest. She loved Toriel. Toriel was like a mother - the mother Faye had missed for a long time. But right now, Faye just wanted to go home. Everyone wanted to go home. And Toriel was betraying them. She wasn't helping them go home. Faye was wrong. She wasn't like a mother after all. So she had to die. And plus, she almost felt like she had to have revenge on some monsters for some reason. Something about this world felt... different.

The genderless kid suddenly appeared in front of Toriel. They had a defensive pose. Faye stopped and stared at them. One of their eyes were open. They looked very serious. Their hair was messy, covering half of their face. It was a little intimidating. The other kids were yelling things in the background. Toriel was stunned. She was shivering. She was so confused.

"Hey..." Faye spoke quietly. She eyed the genderless kid. "If... you're really my friend... you'll stop this..."

"Faye, you can't hurt Toriel!" Cody squeaked. "Or the genderless kid!"

"Aren't we tryna spare everyone?" Clover asked, raising her brow.

"This is no way to deal with your sadness!" Melody added, folding her arms. Brayden was just staring at Faye. She found it odd he wasn't saying anything. The genderless kid was still staring at her. They hadn't budged. Their eye was staring into her SOUL.

"I..." Faye mumbled. She started crying. She dropped her knife. She couldn't take it anymore. "I... I just want to go home..."

"I understand, my child," Toriel spoke. She got up, moved around the genderless kid and kneeled down to Faye's height. "I see the mistake I made. It would be so wrong of me to keep you all here. Your families would be most worried about you. And... the RUINS are very small once you get used to them."

"But my mom and dad..." Faye began. She just wanted her family back. She wanted life to return to before Mount Ebott, where she lived in her little house with her parents and Brayden was over half the time. Why couldn't she go back to that? It wasn't fair. She couldn't wait forever.

"If you children truly wish to leave the RUINS, I will not stop you," Toriel spoke, facing them. "However, when you leave… please do not come back. I hope you understand." She turned to Faye and whispered, "You will be alright, my child. Do not give up hope. And remember to stay with your friends. They will help you through any difficult times."

"Okay." Faye said, wiping her eyes.

"Awww, what?!" Brayden complained. "Why?!" Melody bonked him on the head. Toriel spread her arms, giving the rest of the kids a hug. Cody was crying now as well. Even Melody looked a little upset. The genderless kid didn't say anything. Toriel stood back up, smiling at all the kids.

"Goodbye, my children." she told them, walking away. She looked back and smiled at Faye. Faye smiled back. Then Toriel left. Cody was still crying. Clover was hugging him because she's a cool sister like that.

"I'm sorry." Faye said quietly. "I… I... I'm terrible... you should all leave me here. I tried to kill her."

"Hey, Faye," Brayden walked up to Faye. He punched her shoulder so hard she fell on the ground. "YOU WOULD'VE DIED IF THE STICK KID HADN'T PROTECTED YOU! AND THEN YOU TRIED TO KILL GOAT MOMMA! AND THEN YOU CRIED! DON'T DO THAT AGAIN OR I'LL BEAT THE HECK OUT OF YOU!" He grinned and helped her up. "That was actually pretty brave though - nice one! You're pretty tough after all."

"Quite smart, actually," Percy complimented. "You waited her out. Very tactical. Though I wasn't expecting you to try and kill her."

"Kinda scary pardner, I'm with Brayden here," Clover admitted. She frowned. "But I see where you were comin' from." The sobbing Cody nodded.

"You're a funny girl, Faye," Melody sighed. "You know how to scare someone. She would've died if the genderless kid hadn't protected her. Please don't do that again." The genderless kid stared at Faye. They didn't look very happy, even with their eyes closed.

"I'm so sorry," Faye told them. "I... I was so..." She sniffled. The genderless kid said something. They gave her a hug. "Yes. I know what you mean. I won't do something like that ever ever ever again." She cried a little more. "Thanks for forgiving me." They smiled at her. Then they pointed at the door.

"The door?" Clover caught their gaze. She gazed at the others. "Are y'all ready to go?" They nodded. So the crew pushed the purple door open and proceeded through a long, purple hall. At the end of the hall was a black room like the one they first met Flowey in. A patch of grass was in the center, and behind it, a purple gate with the symbol. Speak of the devil - Flowey was there.

"You." Clover growled, giving Flowey a death-stare. Brayden made a punching motion with his fists. The genderless kid just stared at him. Faye stood near them. She wasn't really a fan of that flower, since he almost killed her.

"Clever," Flowey said darkly, with a grin of mockery. "Verrryyy clever. You all think you're so smart, don't you? In this world, it's kill or BE killed."

"N-no it's not!" Faye squeaked. "It's, uh, m-more than that!"

"Ooh, the cyan freak is growing some backbone!" Flowey teased. "You IDIOT. What can you say when you were the only one who was stupid enough to take my bullets?! And then you tried to kill that old hag!" Faye felt bad now.

"How does he know that?" Clover asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Hey, don't talk to her like that!" Brayden yelled at Flowey, making more punching motions with his fists.

"Wow, aren't you all such great friends?" Flowey asked. "Hee hee hee. You're all IDIOTS. So you were able to play by your own rules." He looked scary. "You spared the life of a single person. Well, MOST of you tried. I bet you feel really great. You didn't kill anybody this time… well, almost." He stared at Clover this time. She was still aiming her gun at him. "But what will you do if you meet a relentless killer? You'll all die and you'll die and you'll die! Until you tire of trying. What will you do then?"

"We keep trying!" Brayden yelled at him. "No one's gonna stop us!" The others nodded.

"Oh, really?" Flowey asked, making another face. "You can't say anything, you IDIOT! You're not the one with the power here!" He gazed at the genderless kid. "But the one with the power… what if they turn on you? What if they give up on this world… and allow me to take control? I am the prince of this world's future. Don't worry, my little monarchs, my plan isn't regicide. This is SO much more interesting." He made a terrifying face and cackled evilly.

"Lemme at him!" Brayden begged his friends. "I'll stuff his stupid, uh, leaves or whatever into the ground!" Flowey disappeared though. Brayden looked ticked off. "HEY! GET BACK HERE SO I CAN BEAT YOU UP, COWARD!"

"I'll have a go at him myself," Clover agreed, her face covered in edgy shadows and stuff. "No one messes with my friends."

"Let's go on, shall we?" Melody asked, sighing. The kids proceeded towards the gate. This time, Faye walked next to her best friend - Brayden.

"You're pretty brave, too, Brayden," she said quietly. "Thanks for never giving up on me." He gave her a thumbs up and a big grin.

"What're friends for, Faye?!" he asked, giving her a noogie. She blushed. Percy grinned in satisfaction and took notes. Let's hope he doesn't start writing fanfiction.

"Well, here we go," Clover sighed, facing the gate. "Are y'all ready?" Everyone nodded. "Then let's go." They entered the gate.


	6. Sans and Papyrus

~Brayden~

The first thing the kids discovered when they left the RUINS was a huge, snowy forest ahead of them. A cleared path went through the trees. The dark cavern was full of twinkling ice. The snow was cold and thick beneath their feet. Behind them were purple doors that were locked tight. Way ahead was some kind of gate thingy, then a sentry station.

"It's freezing...." Melody mumbled, rubbing her arms. She was only wearing her ballet stuff, so she wasn't exactly prepared for a voyage through a snowy area. Brayden found she complained a lot - especially about him. She was such a mom - maybe even more mom-like than Brayden's actual mom. She could be really annoying. But Brayden found her being one of his best friends. Melody didn't seem to give up on him - and she was pretty much the only person who was an actual friend back in the day and not some stupid bully.

"You think you're freezing!?" Brayden asked her. He wasn't in a great situation either. He was wearing a striped tank, shorts and trainers. At least Melody had a tutu. Well, he had his gloves and awesome manly bandanna. No one else had gloves.

"This doesn't make any sense - snow can't be underground." Percy mumbled, taking notes. Brayden found Percy... kind of funny. They didn't have a lot in common, but they got on reasonably well. Even if Percy really liked weird cartoons and books. Brayden didn't like books. He found them boring.

"Oh... there's a camera in the bush!" Faye observed a bush near the purple doors to the RUINS.

"A camera?" Clover asked, making a face. "Is someone watchin' us?" Brayden thought Clover was cool and annoying at the same time. She got on his nerves, yet no-one else could kick butt like her. She'd be the one fighting alongside him. And she was pretty protective of her brother. Brayden was the baby of his family but he didn't like it when people bothered his older sisters or his friends.

"Hey, Brayden," Cody spoke up. He smiled. "If you're really cold, you can wear my apron if you want." Brayden thought Cody was just a big softie - that guy who always wore his heart on his sleeve. Though he was always nice to people, Brayden knew Cody knew how to defend himself - and he had Clover, of course. And he made amazing food.

"I'm not gonna wear an apron!" Brayden replied. The thought of wearing said thing disgusted him. Just nope. He saw the eighth human was looking at the sentry station in the distance. Brayden liked that kid. They ran into danger like he did - and they were pretty cool. They didn't seem scared of anything - wow they were cool. Especially with their healing powers. Very cool.

"I think they want to go." Faye spoke up quietly. She looked kind of cold too. As you know, Faye and Brayden are besties and the author may or may not ship them. Brayden and Faye had been BFFs for ages even though they were super different. Faye was kinda cute and quiet. She didn't really know how to stick up for herself sometimes. She just took everything in. Brayden once told her he'd beat up anyone who got in her way and he really meant it. In return, she was just a great friend. She really understood him.

"Let's go then." Clover spoke up. The kids proceeded. Brayden wanted to run off, but Clover started giving him that crazy death-stare. The eighth human was kind of ahead, though. Brayden went over to them.

"Think there are any monsters in those trees?" he asked. The eighth human shrugged. "I could take on a monster army right now!" He felt like he could. He and the eighth human walked over some tough stick on the ground. Brayden was looking out for any monsters who wanted to fight him. Suddenly, the stick snapped - it was destroyed as if it were nothing. Faye yelped. Clover brought out her gun, naturally protecting her brother. The eighth human looked unfazed.

"Who's there!?" Brayden yelled. He made a punching motion with his fists. "I'm not afraid of you! Come out and fight me!" But nobody came.

"It looks like nobody is coming," Melody observed. She was standing next to Percy. "I suppose we had better keep going." Everyone continued moving. Brayden kept looking around, searching for the dude or lady who broke that stick. The kids walked a little further. A silhouette appeared behind them in the shadows.

"SHOW YOURSELF, COWARD!" Brayden yelled at the trees, clenching his fists.

"You better." Clover agreed, holding up her gun. Still nobody came. The eighth human continued walking. They didn't look afraid. They were nearing that bridge thing. So everyone followed them. They stopped at the bridge. Snow was being crunched behind them; someone was there. Theeighth human didn't flinch. Clover gripped her gun. Cody was holding up his frying pan. Percy was taking notes. Melody looked a little scared herself. Faye was hiding behind Brayden.

"Who are you!?" Brayden asked the silhouette, glaring at them. "You wanna fight!?" The eighth human was shaking their head. They didn't seem nervous at all. Quite the opposite.

"Humans," the shadow thing greeted slowly. "Don't you know how to greet a new pal?" He held out his bony hand. "Shake my hand." The eighth human shook his hand like they'd done it a million times. Everyone was sort of staring at them. Then there was a fart noise. A really long and awkward one.

"Did you just fart?" Brayden asked the shadowy dude who wasn't so shadowy anymore. He was now a chubby skeleton with a blue jacket, slippers and a white shirt. His blue jacket had a fluffy hood and his black eye-sockets were kind of creepy. A permanent smile was plastered on his face. He was slightly taller than the kids.

Brayden giggled like an immature child (which he is I guess). "Awesome!"

"How in any way is that awesome?" Melody asked, groaning. She sighed. "Boys."

"heh heh, thanks kid," the skeleton replied, chuckling. "that was the old whoopee cushion in the hand trick. it's ALWAYS funny. anyways, you're all humans, right? that's hilarious. im sans. sans the skeleton. im actually supposed to be on watch for humans right now. but... y'know... i don't really care about capturing anybody."

"I think he's nice, Clover," Cody told his sister. He eyed her gun. "You can put that away." The genderless kid nodded. Clover slipped her gun away, biting her lip.

"If you're a skeleton, does that mean you're an undead human?" Percy asked, bringing out his notepad. "How exactly would that work?"

"it's complicated, kid," Sans answered, shrugging. "it's probably for the best if we don't discuss it now. anyway, my brother, papyrus. he's a human hunting FANATIC. hey, actually, i think that's him over there. i have an idea. go through this gate thingy. yeah, all you kids, go right through. my bro made the bars too wide to stop anyone." The kids went through the gate thingy. On the other side was that sentry station and seven conveniently shaped lamps. "quick, behind those conveniently shaped lamps."

"Why are we hiding!?" Brayden asked. He clenched his fists. "I wanna fight! I'm not afraid of, what's his name, Papyrus!"

"Let's not be rude and listen to Sans." Melody told him, giving him a look. He sighed and followed her. He hid behind a lamp shaped like himself. All of his friends were doing the same. A tall skeleton walked over. He had large, red gloves, boots and a long scarf. He was wearing some kind of armour around his chest, a small symbol near his shoulder. He was also wearing blue pants, Brayden guessed. Brayden really didn't know anything about skeletons, apart from the decorative ones he saw on Halloween.

"'sup, bro?" Sans greeted his bro.

"YOU KNOW WHAT 'SUP', BROTHER!" Papyrus yelled, sounding grumpy. "IT'S BEEN EIGHT DAYS AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T... RECALIBRATED. YOUR. PUZZLES! YOU JUST HANG AROUND OUTSIDE YOUR STATION! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?!"

"staring at these lamps," Sans replied. "they're really cool. you wanna look?"

"Is he givin' us away?" Clover whisper-asked. The eighth human shook their head.

"NO!" Papyrus retorted, stomping his boot on the snow. "I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT! WHAT IF A HUMAN COMES THROUGH HERE?! I WANT TO BE READY! I WILL BE THE ONE! I MUST BE THE ONE! I WILL CAPTURE A HUMAN! THEN, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS... WILL GET ALL THE THINGS I UTTERLY DESERVE!" His cape flowed in the wind. "RESPECT... RECOGNITION... I WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD! PEOPLE WILL ASK, TO BE MY 'FRIEND'? I WILL BATHE IN A SHOWER OF KISSES EVERY MORNING!"

"hmm... maybe these lamps can help you." Sans told Papyrus.

"SANS! YOU ARE NOT HELPING! YOU LAZYBONES!" Papyrus responded.

"Blah blah, I'm bored," Brayden grumbled. He looked at Faye who was right next to him. "Hey, Faye, check this out." He flexed his 'muscles'.

"That's nice, Brayden." she replied politely. She seemed more focused on the skele-bros and their amazing skeleton puns.

"i've gotten a ton of work done today," Sans said, winking. "a skele-ton." Faye was trying not to laugh. Melody silently groaned. Clover grinned. Brayden snorted and started giggling. Melody gave him a shut the heck up look.

"WHAT'S THAT SOUND?" Papyrus asked, looking suspicious.

"just the lamps," Sans told his bro. "told you they're cool."

"OH, I SEE," Papyrus replied, acting like it was totally normal for lamps to giggle like children. He frowned. "WHERE WAS I...? OH YES!" He looked annoyed. "SAANNNSSSSS!"

"come on," Sans retorted. "you're smiling."

"I AM AND I HATE IT!" Papyrus grumbled. He sighed. "WHY DOES SOMEONE AS GREAT AS ME... HAVE TO DO SO MUCH JUST TO GET SOME RECOGNITION..."

"wow, sounds like you're really working yourself..." Sans winked. "down to the bone." Brayden started laughing again, even though he thought the pun was garbage.

"Hey!" Melody whisper-shouted. "Brayden! Shhhh!" Faye started giggling as well. "Oh my goodness..."

"see, the lamps think i'm funny." Sans told his brother, raising his... bone-brow.

"UGHHH!" Papyrus groaned. "I WILL ATTEND TO MY PUZZLES... AS FOR YOUR WORK... PUT A LITTLE MORE..." He made a face. "'BACKBONE' INTO IT! NYEHHEHEHEHEH!" He stared at the lamps. No one laughed this time. Papyrus frowned and walked away. Brayden almost walked out if Melody didn't grab him. Papyrus came back one more time. "HEH!"

"ok, you kids can come out now." Sans spoke. Everyone came out. Some looked relieved. The genderless kid looked like they didn't care as usual.

"FINALLY!" Brayden exasperated. Melody was staring at him. "WHAT!? I was bored! Faye was laughing too!" Faye looked away. Brayden stared at Sans and gave him a thumbs up. "Nice puns by the way, Mr. Fat Skeleton!" Melody gave him that look again. "... Mr. Sans?"

"Wow," Percy commented emotionlessly. He faced Sans. "I can't believe your brother fell for that trick. Why does he look so different from you? I've many questions about skeletons." He brought out his notepad.

"Your brother's not dangerous, is he?" Clover asked, walking over to Sans. "I dunno if he's safe."

"your friend over there will know," Sans answered, pointing at the eighth human. They smiled at him. "they look like a kid who knows their stuff." The eighth human shrugged like they and Sans were old pals. "but if you ask me, no, he's not dangerous, even if he tries to be."

"I bet I could take him on." Brayden said confidently, cracking his knuckles.

"Brayden's not dangerous either, don't worry," Melody whispered to Sans. "He's just very silly and good at getting himself into trouble."

"I HEARD THAT!" Brayden yelled at her.

"We'd better move on, y'all." Clover spoke up, folding her arms. Her brother smiled and waved at Sans. The kids headed right, following a snowy path into the forest.

"actually, hey, could you kids do me a favour?" Sans asked. "i was thinkin'... my brother's been kind of down lately... he's never seen a human before. and seeing you kids just might make his day. don't worry, as i said, he's not dangerous, even if he tries to be."

"I hope so." Clover muttered. The eighth human was giving her a reassuring nod.

"It'll be fine, sis," Cody told Clover. "He looks like a nice skeleton!"

"thanks a million, kids," Sans said. "i'll be up ahead." He walked to the left.

"Oh, he went the wrong way." Faye observed.

"LET'S GO!" Brayden yelled, charging off. He was excited. This place was freezing but he didn't really care a whole lot. He was ready to beat up some monsters. The path went in a few directions, but Brayden didn't care. He wanted to go forward. Keep moving. The eighth human was nearby him. They stopped at a random point in the snow, then turned to a box nearby a sign.

"Slow down, pardner." Clover stormed over to Brayden. "There's a box over here."

"Good," Percy said. He brought out a thick pile of paper. "I can store my notes in there." The genderless kid was putting the spider donuts in there. Soon, the box was full of notes and spider donuts. Brayden wondered how in the heck Percy had so many notes. Percy nodded. "Those are the notes that won't come of use to us. Such as notes about people at school."

"You take notes 'bout people at school?" Clover asked, giving him a look. "Pardner, that's a little, eh, 'messed up'." Even Melody looked like she agreed.

"What's so creepy about notes?" Percy asked, sounding slightly like a maniac.

"Did you write anything cool about me, Perce?" Brayden asked, grinning. Percy shrugged. "AWESOME! NOW LET'S GO!" He continued running. He hoped his friends were behind him. As usual, it was only Clover, Melody and the eighth human. The others were checking out a fishing line or something. Brayden looked annoyed. "Can they hurry the HECK UP?!" He wasn't the most patient person. His mom had always said he could be a pain like that. Actually everyone said that. Even his sisters.

Brayden punched a tree out of boredom. All the snow covered him so he looked like a snowman. Clover started laughing. Melody face-palmed. The eighth human looked like they were trying not to laugh.

"HEY! SHUT UP!" Brayden yelled. His pink leather gloves were covered in snow. They were pink because according to certain universes, pink means fear, and Brayden liked to punch that stuff in the face! Though his favourite colour was definitely orange. Melody helped him out of the snow and started brushing some of it out of his messy, brown hair. He shooed her away. It drove him bonkers when his sisters tried to dress him up or make him do something girly. Or clean him.

"What happened?" Cody asked, as he, Percy and Faye walked over. "Are you okay, Brayden?" He sounded genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Brayden replied, giving him a thumbs up. He frowned. "Though you guys take WAY TOO LONG! WHAT WERE YOU EVEN DOING?!"

"We found a funny fishing rod." Faye answered quietly. Brayden hoped she wouldn't try and stay somewhere again. His policy was simple: friends were friends and enemies were enemies. Betrayal didn't mean anything to him. He knew he would never betray anyone - and he wasn't going to let anyone stay behind - they were a group, after all. And Faye was his best friend. He - somehow - knew she wasn't that weak. She took all those hits from Toriel and didn't flinch. That was pretty cool.

"We should really move on, y'all." Clover spoke up, pointing ahead. Brayden raced ahead, following the path. Melody grabbed his arm as they approached Sans and Papyrus standing on the path, chatting to each other.

"SO, AS I WAS SAYING ABOUT UNDYNE..." Papyrus began. He noticed all the kids. He looked at Sans, then back at the kids, then at Sans, then at the kids, then at Sans... "SANS! OH MY GOD, ARE THOSE... HUMANS?!" The eighth human looked bored. Cody and Faye were smiling at the skeletons. Clover looked a little serious. Percy was taking notes. Melody was observing. Brayden made those punching motions with his fists.

"uhhhhh..." Sans retorted. He made a face. "actually, i think those are rocks." There were seven rocks behind the kids.

"When did they get here?" Clover asked, folding her arms.

"Wow, magically-appearing rocks..." Faye commented, grinning.

"They appear to be rocks made of ice." Percy said, taking notes.

"OH." Papyrus commented, looking disappointed.

"hey, what are those in front of the rocks?" Sans asked.

"OH MY GOD!" Papyrus exclaimed. He looked away and whispered, "(ARE... ARE THOSE HUMANS)?"

"(yes)." Sans responded.

"OH MY GOD!" Papyrus yelled. He smirked. "SANS! I FINALLY DID IT! UNDYNE WILL... I'M GONNA... I'LL BE SO... POPULAR! POPULAR! POPULAR!" Brayden sighed. He'd really had enough of all this talking nonsense.

"Can we just fight now?!" he whined, making even more punching motions.

"Toriel told us not to fight, Brayden," Melody sighed, folding her arms. She gave him that look. "And they're not even done talking." Clover was giving the skeleton brothers her let's fight bro look. "Not you too, Clover." Brayden remembered Toriel. He liked Toriel. She was nice and she made really good pie. He was kinda sad when they had to fight her, but he didn't want to stay in the RUINS forever. That place was weird.

Melody stared at Sans and Papyrus. "Ignore him. Keep talking." Brayden gave her a look. She returned it.

Sans and Papyrus gazed at each other. Then the taller skeleton loudly continued, "'AHEM'! HUMANS! YOU SHALL NOT PASS THIS AREA! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL STOP YOU! I WILL THEN CAPTURE YOU ALL!" He looked a little anxious. "SOMEHOW." He cleared his non-existent throat. "YOU WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE CAPITAL! THEN... THEN...!"

"What?" Brayden asked impatiently. He really just wanted to fight.

"I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S NEXT," Papyrus said, frowning. He brightened up. "IN ANY CASE! CONTINUE... ONLY IF YOU DARE! NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!" He raced off.

"well, that went well," Sans commented. He winked. "don't sweat it, kids. i'll keep an eye socket out for you all." He headed right. Faye giggled at the pun.

"Well, he's keeping an 'eye socket' out for us!" Cody said cheerfully. The eighth human nodded.

"Let's keep goin', y'all." Clover spoke up. She walked over to her brother and put her arm around his shoulders. He put his head on her shoulder. She muttered something about letting nobody touch him.

"LET'S GO!" Brayden yelled, charging ahead. The trees spaced out, leaving the chilly, blue path. Brayden had seen snow before. He'd liked messing around in it. A sentry station was ahead. He ran into a monster - Snowdrake. Snowdrake appeared to be some kind of hybrid of an owl and a snowflake. They had a rotating beak, owl-like eyes and little wings. They were made of ice. Snowdrake flutters forth!

Brayden cheered. "YEAH! BATTLES! THAT'S THE STUFF!" Everyone else came over and joined in. The eighth human CHECKED Snowdrake. Percy took notes. Then the monster began attacking the kids. The eighth human was great at dodging. Brayden went all over the place, like he always did. He got hit once.

"Ice puns are 'snow' problem!" Snowdrake said, cracking a bad joke. Some of the kids began laughing. Including the eighth human. Even Brayden laughed a little. Snowdrake looked pleased. Then they were able to give them that dank mercy, so the children did. They continued.

Brayden raced over to the next area, ignoring the sign by the path. A wooden sentry station with a dog symbol was ahead. Snow was on the roof. The eighth human was staying nearby Brayden.

"It says no moving." Percy read the sign, adjusting his glasses. Faye didn't move, since she was pretty good at that. Melody paused, though she hummed a tune to herself. Clover made sure nothing attacked them. Brayden moved because he hated standing still. The regulars followed him. Brayden was stopped by a dog sentry inside the sentry station.

"Did something move?" the dog asked. He had shifty eyes, a pink tank, black-and-white fur, and appeared to be smoking dog treats. He had a long sword. He was a head or two taller than the kids. "Was it my imagination? I can only see moving things. If something WAS moving... for example, a human... I'll make sure it NEVER moves again!" Combat started. Doggo blocks the way!

"You don't scare me!" Brayden snapped at the dog. He wasn't a fan of this non-moving nonsense. He was gonna move all he wanted. The eighth humanCHECKED the dog. Percy took notes. The dog's name was Doggo and he was easily excited by movement.

"Don't move an inch!" Doggo shouted. Brayden moved around anyway. Until the eighth human gave him a very very tight hug from behind, stopping him from moving. And almost breathing. But he wasn't hurt by Doggo's sword. No one else was, either. I guess they got the memo.

"The sword is my SOUL colour." Faye commented quietly.

"Hey!" Brayden shoved the eighth human off. They landed on the snow. "What the heck were you doing!? I don't want you to hug me!"

"They were protecting you, pardner, give 'em credit." Clover pointed out, giving him a stare. Melody nodded in agreement. Brayden gave them a look. He didn't really like being told what to do. The eighth humanstood up, looking a little upset. They brushed snow off their sleeve. Faye told them a compliment or something. They looked okay.

Brayden thought it was pretty cute Faye and theeighth human were becoming friends. They, after all, had saved her life. He himself would've done that if they hadn't got there first. He would've been a lot more protective of Faye if they hadn't got there first. Now that he was thinking about it, Brayden was... kind of jealous of them. His best friend was starting to follow them around more than him. They were cool, but...

Doggo can't seem to find anything. The eighth human reached over and gave him a pat. Faye pet him as well, probably because she thought it was fun. Doggo started freaking out. Doggo has been pet.

"WHAT!" he exclaimed. "I'VE BEEN PET!" He made some pretty weird faces. "PET? PAT? POT?" He swung his blue sword at the kids again, still making that face. Brayden didn't really want the eighth human to hug him again so he didn't move - even though it drove him bonkers.

"What a cute dog." Faye commented. Cody had to agree. Melody and Percy were sort of staring at each other. The eighth humanspared Doggo. Brayden was happy that battle was over. Battles where you did nothing but stand still sucked. Doggo was in his sentry station.

"S-s-something pet me..." he remarked, still looking shifty. "Something that isn't moving... I'm gonna need some dog treats for this..." He disappeared behind his sentry station.

"FINALLY!" Brayden shouted, racing off. He passed some burnt dog treats and arrived at the next area. There was a patch of ice with a sign in the middle. Sans was there, standing nearby the trees. The kids seemed interested in talking to him - well, aside from the eighth human and Brayden who wanted to get a move on. Sans talked about some blue attack. Brayden didn't really listen. He was ready to kick butt.

He jumped on the ice, the eighth humanfollowing him. It was really slippery.

"WHOO!" Brayden yelled, sliding around. The eighth human had their eye on a path to the right. Brayden slid over to them. "Whatcha lookin' at?" They pointed at the path. They did their weird-talking thing. "There's a town over there? Awesome!" He gazed at the snow. "Hey, we should have a snowball fight!"

"Did ya say snowball fight, pardner?" Clover asked, looking at him. She had a competitive glint in her yellow eyes.

"And we should build a snowman!" Faye added. Cody looked happy about that. Percy looked the opposite. Melody raised her brow.

"YEAHHH!" Brayden cheered, almost falling over. "WE'LL GO IN TEAMS AND SNOWBALL FIGHT TO THE DEATH!"

"Not to the death." Melody said, folding her arms. "I don't want to get my tutu covered in snow." Percy didn't look interested at all. Quite the opposite of interested.

"Aw c'mon, it'll be fun!" Brayden yelled encouragingly. He made a snowball in his palm and chucked it at Melody. She shrieked in repulse. Brayden laughed really hard. Melody growled and threw a snowball back. It hit him on the face. And so the competition began...

In the next chapter ;)


	7. Snowdin Forest

~Brayden~

Everyone was throwing snowballs at each other. They'd moved up to a large patch of snow shaped like a mountain and surrounded by trees. They were on separate sides. Brayden threw a snowball at Cody (which he blocked with his frying pan) so now Clover was out for revenge. Faye was trying to get Melody to chill out (snow pun definitely and always intended). Percy had wandered off. He was sitting underneath a snow-covered tree, taking notes. He didn't seem to be enjoying the snowball fight.

"YEAH! YOU GUYS ARE THE LOSER TEAM!" Brayden taunted. He grinned at the eighth human who was wearing gloves now. They were little red ones with the words, Punching stuff fills me with determination! "HEY! WE SHOULD BE A TEAM!" They grinned and nodded.

"That isn't fair!" Clover protested. "Y'all have gloves!"

"And you've got four team players!" Brayden retorted. He gazed at Percy under the tree. "HEY! NERD BOY! COME JOIN US!"

"No thanks." Percy replied, focusing on his books.

"Come on, Percy, it'll be fun!" Brayden encouraged. That's something Brayden found odd about Percy. Percy didn't really like... trying new things. Even Melody sometimes was willing to branch out. But not Percy. He stayed with his books. Brayden didn't really understand that.

"If Percy doesn't want to join in, don't make him, Brayden." Melody told him. She gave Percy a faint glance.

"Yeah, besides, you've got your gloves," Clover pointed out. "We've got more team members but y'all have those. Our hands are gonna freeze to death."

"Good luck, guys!" Cody told them, standing near his sister. "If you want me to stop throwing snowballs at you, just tell me!" He grinned. Faye waved at Brayden and the eighth human.

"You're on that team Faye, you're our enemy now!" Brayden replied, making a face. The eighth human, on the other hand, waved back. "NO MORE TALKING! LET'S DO THIS!" He picked up snowballs and started throwing them at the 'enemy'. The eighth humancopied him. They (that's theeighth human) threw a few snowballs at Clover, almost knocking her down. They had amazing aim.

"Not bad," Clover told them, wiping snow off her shirt. "Top this!" She picked up a snowball (quickly, since it was freezing her hands) and chucked it at the eighth humankid. They dodged it effortlessly. "Really, not bad." Brayden, meanwhile, was throwing snowballs at everyone he could. Cody had a frying pan, so he could deflect them. Melody was getting hit a lot. Brayden had to admit, it was pretty funny how she shrieked when she got hit. Faye didn't really do anything when the snowballs hit her; she just sat there and said, 'okay'. Brayden really didn't know what to say about that. Typical Faye.

"YEAH! YOU GUYS CAN'T STOP US!" Brayden yelled, throwing more snowballs.

"Augh! I hate this!" Melody complained, glaring at the snow all over her.

"You just sad 'cause you can't beat us!" Brayden teased, blowing a raspberry. The eighth human threw a snowball at her in agreement. "YEAH! HIGH-FIVE, STICK KID!" They high-fived each other. Brayden frowned. "You can do better than THAT!" The eighth humanhit his palm with all their might. They almost knocked him over. "YEAH! THAT'S THE STUFF!"

"Not yet, pardner," Clover retorted, folding her arms. "We're not all out yet." Her brother nervously held his frying pan in front of his face. Faye was patiently standing there. Melody looked really done. Clover covered her hands in her yellow bandanna and scooped up some snow. She threw it at Brayden and the eighth human. Naturally, the latter dodged, but the former was splattered in the cold stuff. He ended up falling over and getting covered in more. He looked a snowman again.

"Nice work!" Melody told Clover, giving her a high-five. Brayden wasn't quite as happy. He brushed all the snow off and stormed over to Clover. She was right. This wasn't finished yet.

"Screw snowballs!" he yelled. He cracked his knuckles. "LET'S WRESTLE! CLOVER! I CHALLENGE YOU TO WRESTLE ME!" He looked smug.

"You want me to wrestle you?" Clover asked, staring at him. She looked incredulous. "You sure about that, pardner?"

"YEAH!" Brayden challenged. "A GIRL COULDN'T BEAT ME IN WRESTLING!"

"Fine, then." Clover replied, squeezing liquid snow out of her bandanna. She tied it around her neck and approached Brayden. "Let's go." The eighth human stood with everyone else, watching them. Brayden coached himself in his head. This won't take long - she's a girl! Maybe I don't even have to try that hard! HA! He approached Clover and tried to tackle her. She ended up pinning him to the ground and sitting on him like a couch.

"I WAS TAKING IT EASY ON YOU!" Brayden snapped, feeling really embarrassed.

"Oh, really," Clover commented. She didn't sound like she believed him. She stood up. "What were you sayin' about girls not bein' able to wrestle?" She offered him her hand. He glared at her and stood up, brushing the snow off.

"It wasn't fair." Brayden grumbled. He felt humiliated, especially since all his friends were watching. His dad would be really upset with him. He'd probably do that awful thing again and tell him he was weak...

"According to my calculations, yes, it was." Percy commented from his little spot. Brayden glared at him.

"YOU WEREN'T EVEN WATCHING, NERD BOY!" he shouted. He sounded kind of upset.

"Alrighty, calm down now," Clover spoke, waving her hands. She offered her hand to Brayden. "C'mon, we'll shake it off. Sign of peace. You did well."

"NO WAY!" Brayden shouted, turning away. He would never submit like that! He wasn't a coward.

"Um..." Faye spoke up quietly. "How about... we build a snowman?" She eyed a small, clear patch of snow next to the wall of the cavern. Perfect for snowman-building. Percy was now watching, but he still didn't look like he wanted to come over. He kept reading whatever he was reading.

"A snowman!" Cody gasped. He grinned. "That's a great idea!"

"AWESOME! But the snowman has to look like me!" Brayden said, flexing. "Flexing!"

"Uh, no, it does not." Melody retorted, folding her arms. "You said we're a group - so we all pitch in. And besides, that would look stupid."

"I don't mind." Faye mumbled quietly.

"Are you guys wearing gloves?" Brayden asked, poking his tongue out. The eighth humantook their red gloves off and gave them to Melody.

"Sans was right," Melody said, accepting the gloves. She smiled at the eighth human. "You're a smart kid." Brayden groaned. The eighth human made gestures with their hands and face. "Of course I'll share them around!" She frowned. "Even if I really, really don't want to." She eyed Brayden. He glared at her. He knew she was going to do her Mom-thing.

The two kids formed a large ball of snow on that clear patch. They somehow managed to do it without Melody telling Brayden off for whatever reason. Well, mostly.

"Yeah, put more snow on that side." Clover observed the snowman. Melody did that. Clover grinned. "Looks good."

"Faye and I will get some sticks and things to put on the snowman," Cody said. He looked at Faye. "Well, if you want to, Faye." She nodded. The two kids headed off to do such thing. They ended up encountering a monster. Clover and the eighth humanran off to rescue them. That left just Melody and Brayden fixing the snowman.

"I hope you're not too upset about losing that little fight." Melody commented. "Also, you're using too much snow."

"I'm not upset! It's just some dumb fight!" Brayden retorted. He removed some of the snow.

"Oh, Brayden, you're always upset about fights," Melody sighed. "And your dad."

"AM NOT!" Brayden shouted. "I'M NOT UPSET!" He punched the snowman's base. It cracked. The snow crumbled all over the place.

"Brayden!" Melody complained. There was snow all over her tutu. "Now we have to start all over again! And I just cleaned my tutu!"

"WHO CARES?" Brayden asked, standing up. He felt really ticked off. He wished he was home. And he wished he had the same dad as his sisters and not his stupid dad. And he wished Melody would shut up.

"I do." Melody mumbled. She brushed the snow off her tutu. She gazed at the ice in the distance. Their friends were fighting a collection of monsters. Brayden was too busy punching the snow to notice. Thank goodness - it's better if he's punching snow and not living people. "I should try ice-skating. It looks like dancing." She looked at Brayden, who was now making a little pile of snow. He still looked angry. Usually he could get over things quickly, but there were some topics he was a little more... sensitive about. Melody sighed deeply.

The other kids came back and helped finished the snowman. Brayden stopped being so grumpy and started helping a bit more. He started getting excited.

"WE'LL BUILD THE BIGGEST SNOWMAN EVER!" he cheered. They did make the snowman quite big. Everyone pitched in (aside from Percy), one way or another. The eighth human drew a face on the snowman's head and a heart on its center. It had sticks for arms and rocks as eyes and a mouth and nose.

"Oh, it has a SOUL." Faye observed the heart. "That's really pretty."

"I think we all did really good!" Cody commented cheerfully. The eighth human nodded.

"SNOWMAN FOR THE WIN!" Brayden agreed, punching the air. Everyone admired it for a bit. Even Percy, who stopped his reading. Brayden grumbled, "Okay, I'm bored now. Let's go!" He raced off. Author wants to speed things up a bit, so we'll skim through some of these next things.

The kids found Sans and Papyrus and an electricity maze. The puzzle was easy, since Papyrus covered it in his footprints and gave away the answer. Melody wanted to say something, but the eighth human shushed her. Brayden didn't care too much. He didn't like puzzles. So he just raced across the whole thing. Sans seemed thankful the kids were playing along. He spoke to a few more of them while Brayden raced ahead.

"ICE-CREAM!" he yelled when he arrived at the next area. It was two large split areas, connected by a tiny bridge. One area had a large, flat icy area that was turned into a golf-like game. There was a rocky wall surrounding both areas. Paths led off from the second large area. Brayden rushed up to an ice-cream (Nice Cream, I should say) vendor, grinning. The vendor looked sad about something.

"I don't understand why these aren't selling..." the vendor sighed. "This is the perfect weather for-"

"GIMME AN ICE-CREAM!" Brayden yelled at the vendor.

"No need to be so rude," Melody snorted, appearing behind him.

"And who said you could be first?" Clover agreed, barging in. The eighth human waddled over, holding out their GOLD.

"Ice-cream?" Cody asked. He smirked. "I've always wanted to make my own!" In the end, everyone was eating ice-cream... Nice Cream, whatever you want to call it. Brayden finished his first, of course, then wanted to try out the golf thing. Everyone did the golf thing. It was actually very frustrating.

"STUPID GOLF!" Brayden raged. He kicked the snowball. "FIGHT ME!"

"I don't like this." Clover grumbled. Melody seemed more focused on the ice-skating. She was having a great time, dancing around. The eighth human simply kicked the ball, not looking frustrated at all. They were also having a great time. Everyone else was sort of watching. The eighth human managed to finish the golf thing. They got a red flag. They looked really happy about it.

Percy read, "Bravery. Justice. Integrity. Kindness. Perseverance. Patience. Using these, you were able to win at 'Ball Game'. These appear to be in colours... our SOUL colours."

"What?" Brayden raced over. "AWESOME! What SOUL am I?!" Percy had already written down all the SOUL colours and notes. He'd been taking notes about SOULs in general, of course.

"Bravery." he answered, adjusting his glasses.

"AWESOME!" Brayden cheered, punching the air. He felt like it fit. He was pretty brave, after all.

"Well, I can't say that doesn't fit." Melody commented, shaking her head. Percy frowned.

"It doesn't say what trait the red soul is," he said, staring at the eighth human. "Aside from 'ball game', whatever that means." The eighth humanshrugged. Now everyone wanted to find out their SOUL trait, which they did. They were all happy with them, thank goodness. Then, after speaking to Sans, they found the skele-bros again, nearby a wall of rock. In front of them on a patch of snow was a crossword. Sans and Papyrus got into argument and asked the kids if junior jumble or crosswords was harder.

"BOTH SUCK!" Brayden answered. He didn't like puzzles very much. They were boring.

"I prefer adult's 'junior jumble'," Percy answered. "Crosswords are too easy."

"Um..." Cody stared at Papyrus. He grinned. "Junior jumble!" Faye said the same thing.

"Crosswords," Melody answered. "I'm not a puzzle fan and crosswords are easier."

"Junior jumble, I suppose." Clover said, shrugging. The genderless kid pointed at Papyrus.

"Also, I already solved it," Percy spoke up. He handed the sheet of paper to Papyrus.

"WOWIE!" Papyrus observed the puzzle, grinning. "THAT WAS TOO EASY FOR YOU AS WELL...? WELL, WORRY NOT, HUMANS! THE UPCOMING PUZZLES WILL LEAVE YOU ALL IN A DISPUTE! NYEH HEH HEH!" He raced off, cackling.

"thanks for saying 'junior jumble' just to appease my brother." Sans told the kids, winking.

"No problem, LET'S GO!" Brayden yelled in response. He was about to rush off.

"whoa, you really need to slow down, kid," Sans chuckled, eyeing the boy. "trust me, asgore's not gonna come after you. you've got plenty of time."

"He's not gonna come after us?!" Brayden asked. He had an intense look on his face. "WELL WE'RE GOING AFTER HIM!" He punched the air. He wasn't going to let that king stand in the way of going home! No one was going to stop him - or his friends. Everyone was gonna go home, and he was going to make sure of that.

Sans almost looked amused. "good luck with that, kid."

The kids proceeded. Cody was most elevated about the fact that Papyrus made spaghetti, and wanted to try it, but it was frozen and the eighth human non-verbally advised against it. Also, it was apparently a trap. Percy figured it out without reading the note Papyrus had left. Brayden was kind of disappointed, since he liked spaghetti.

The next area was a large field of snow with little balls of snow covering it. There was a rocky cliff above a blocked pathway. The pathway the kids needed to proceed. The eighth human walked onto the cliff and pressed something in the snow. The spikes cleared.

"YOU ARE AWESOME!" Brayden told them. They were awesome. They knew everything. Brayden thought that was amazing. Suddenly, the kids encountered Lesser Dog. It was a large, white, fluffy pomeranian wearing armour. It was wielding a sword and shield. Its shield had that emblem on it. Its tongue was sticking out. The eighth human held up their stick and waved it around. The Lesser Dog looked hypnotised by it.

"Wait!" Faye squeaked. "I wanna pet it!" She frowned. "Well, if that's okay with you..." The genderless kid nodded. They had a grin on their face. Faye pet the dog. Its neck grew.

"What in tarnation?" Clover asked, her eyes widening. Percy began taking notes.

"Can I pet it too?" Cody asked, looking eager. The eighth human made a face. The dog swung its pomer-granite dogger at the children; it was a FIGHT, after all. One was blue; the other white. Brayden got annoyed about the blue one. But he didn't move because he didn't want the eighth human to hug him again. The white one he could... sort of move? Then Cody, Faye and the eighth humanpet the dog. Its neck grew very long.

"MY TURN!" Brayden pet the dog. Its neck grew. He made a kawaii face. "So soft..." He realized he made a kawaii face. "UH I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT!" A few more turns later and the dog was pretty much a giraffe. Even Clover was getting involved now. Melody didn't really feel comfortable and Percy was too busy taking notes. It's possible you may have a problem. The narrator in this case scenario is speaking to both the kids petting the dog and Percy and his note obsession.

Finally, the dog-petting session was over. The spikes had been cleared, so the kids could continue. They crossed a bridge, then came to an area surrounded by rocks. Two hooded dogs wielding axes approached them.

"YOU WANNA FIGHT?" Brayden yelled at them.

"Don't anger them!" Melody groaned. The dogs thought the kids smelled weird, so they got into a fight. The eighth human threw the stick for them. You threw the stick and the dogs ran to get it. You played fetch for a while. Well, that was until Brayden got bored and stopped the eighth human... then started playing fetch himself. You can infer how that all turned out.

After that nonsense, the kids followed an icy path and found a simple X's and O's puzzle on the snow. Percy looked cheerful. Brayden didn't. Puzzles suck.

"I know how to solve these," Percy said. He walked over a blue X, turning it into a red O. "To solve this puzzle, all the X's must be turned into O's. Then you have to push the button." He was about to say something more, but he was interrupted by Papyrus.

"WHAT!?" Papyrus asked, eyeing them with surprise. "HOW DID YOU AVOID MY TRAP?!"

"It was stuck to the table." Melody told him.

"But, um, I'm sure it would've been delicious!" Cody added, grinning. "Do you like cooking? I love cooking! We should cook together sometime!"

"YES, SMALL GREEN HUMAN, WE SHOULD!" Papyrus agreed, looking happy. He shook it off. "I MEAN! NO! I CANNOT AFFORD TO ASSOCIATE WITH YOU HUMANS! I MUST CAPTURE YOU AND BLOCK YOUR WAY WITH PUZZLES!"

"SCREW PUZZLES!" Brayden yelled. He stormed over to the spikes and shook his fist at the skeleton. "WE SHOULD FIGHT RIGHT NOW!" He was really done with puzzles. He wanted to fight. He really enjoyed fighting, challenges, anything like that. He was a 'man' and he wanted to prove he was strong. Just like what his dad said...

"YOU ARE SO EAGER TO FIGHT, LITTLE ORANGE HUMAN!" Papyrus gasped.

"I'M NOT LITTLE!" Brayden protested. He wanted to jump over the spikes and punch the skeleton in the face. He didn't like being called 'little'.

"BUT! WE SHOULDN'T FIGHT YET!" Papyrus replied, waving his red gloves. "ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE YOUR EAGERNESS, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PASS ME! AND, WELL..." He paused for a moment. "I ASSURE YOU THE NEXT PUZZLES WILL SURELY STUMP YOU! THEY WILL READILY PREPARE YOU FOR THE BATTLE AGAINST ME! WHICH, ACTUALLY, WON'T PREPARE YOU AT ALL..." He frowned. "OH WELL! THEY'LL STOP YOU ANYWAY! HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH NYEH!" He ran off.

"COME ON!" Brayden complained, glaring at the snow. Dumb snow. It was too cold. The spikes disappeared. It seemed Percy completed the puzzle.

"We'll fight him pardner, don'tcha worry." Clover told Brayden, flicking his shoulder. He gave her a glance. She snorted. "I don't like these puzzles either. Borin'."

"Whatever, cowgirl." Brayden said, crossing his arms. The kids proceeded, coming to another field of snow. On that field was another X's and O's puzzle, then the path. It was blocked by a wall of spikes. Papyrus was standing next to the puzzle, looking annoyed about something. Trees were behind him.

"MY BROTHER STARTED A SOCK COLLECTION RECENTLY," Papyrus told the kids. "HOW SADDENING... SOMETIMES I WONDER WHAT HE WOULD DO... WITHOUT SUCH A COOL GUY TAKING CARE OF HIM? NYEH HEH HEH!"

"And sometimes I wonder what I would do without my cool sister taking care of me!" Cody commented, grinning at Clover. She blushed and gave him a noogie.

"I wish I had that relationship with my brother." Melody groaned, crinkling her nose. Brayden loved his sisters and all, but they could be painfully annoying. And he kind of envied them. They were actually his half-sisters, since they had a different dad. Brayden sometimes wished he had their dad, even though he passed away. Brayden's father, according to his whole family, was as good as dead as his sisters' dad.

"HUMANS!" Papyrus yelled. He frowned. "HOW DO I SAY THIS... YOU WERE TAKING A LONG TIME TO ARRIVE, SO... I DECIDED TO IMPROVE THIS PUZZLE... BY ARRANGING THE SNOW TO LOOK MORE LIKE MY FACE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE SNOW FROZE TO THE GROUND. NOW THE SOLUTION IS DIFFERENT..." Brayden tuned out.

"These guys talk too much," he complained, staring at Faye and the eighth human. The latter looked they'd heard Papyrus' dialogue a million times and nodded in agreement. "Can't we just fight already?!"

"... I'LL TRY NOT TO GIVE AWAY THE ANSWER!" Papyrus cackled, finishing whatever he was saying.

"Okay," Percy said, eyeing the puzzle. Brayden thought Papyrus said something about them solving an X's and O's puzzle...? Percy stared at the puzzle, which sort of looked like Papyrus' face. "To solve this puzzle, we need to-" The eighth human flicked a switch on the trunk of a tree. The puzzle was solved. "Oh." Percy said, sounding dead inside. "Nevermind."

"AWESOME!" Brayden high-fived the eighth human. "NOW WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT STUPID PUZZLE!"

"How'd you know that was there?" Clover asked them. She sounded both suspicious and astounded. They shrugged.

More skimming. Sans and Papyrus stopped the kids with a tile puzzle, which ended up malfunctioning. Well, before Percy pointed that fact out. The kids continued, stumbling across a bunch of broken snowdogs. Faye and Cody got upset about them. After that was another X's and O's puzzle. Percy, being the puzzle-whizz, had it already figured out. He wanted to do it alone, so everyone else sort of messed around. They built another snowman in a snowy cave underneath the puzzle, next to snow... skeletons of Sans and Papyrus.

"YEAH!" Brayden cheered when it was done. He stared at the others. "We'll call it Brayden Junior!"

"No, we will not," Melody protested. She folded her arms. "Something else."

"How about... Fayeden?" Clover suggested with a smug look on her face. The eighth human gave her a thumbs up. Melody started sniggering. Cody was really unsure and Faye blushed.

"IT'S THAT WORD AGAIN!" Brayden yelled, glaring at them. "WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"

"Did someone say my OTP?" Percy asked, looking down from the puzzle. "Percy Verance approves."

"I DON'T GET THIS AT ALL!" Brayden whined, totally confused.

After that puzzle was done, the kids wandered through a whole area full of trees. Snow fell on the eighth human's head; they looked like they were wearing a hat. After that was an area heading downwards; it led into a rocky area with some caves and creepy people. They met Sans and encountered Gyftrot, a cranky monster who was tormented by teens and decorated like a Christmas tree.

The kids helped undecorate them and Clover promised Gyftrot she'd bring them justice. Brayden said he'd beat up those teens, which was basically the same thing. Cody gave them 35G because he felt bad for them. The kids also found a crystallic and cool-looking tunnel with a door that refused to open. There were also some squeaky mushrooms around it.

The kids left that spooky cave place and followed the main path. They stumbled across a bunch of snow poffs on a flat, snowy surface. Brayden really couldn't be stuffed looking at all of them, so he ran past them. Oh, the kids also encountered the Greater Dog. The eighth human held out their stick again. The dog got excited and chased after it. Then everyone wanted to pat the dog. It ended up falling asleep on them.

"GET IT OFF ME!" Brayden complained. He was covered in dog fur.

"I think it's really cute." Faye said, petting the dog. "I love dogs."

"Well, we've already got one with us." Clover joked, pointing at Brayden. He glared at her. The kids spared the dog and continued. They came to a long, wooden bridge. It led to Snowdin Town. Sans and Papyrus were standing on the other side. The kids walked across the bridge and stared at the skele-bros.

"HUMANS!" Papyrus greeted. "THIS IS YOUR FINAL AND MOST DANGEROUS CHALLENGE! BEHOLD! THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!" A bunch of weapons appeared around the kids, like blades, jets of fire, cannons and a little, white, fluffy dog.

"They can be dangerous after all." Melody mumbled. Clover was making a face. The genderless kid looked cool with it. Brayden was pretty surprised, since nothing so far had been actually dangerous. But at the same time, happy. It was good to face a real challenge.

"WHEN I SAY THE WORD, IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE!" Papyrus exclaimed. "CANNONS WILL FIRE! SPIKES WILL SWING! BLADES WILL SLICE! EACH PART WILL SWING VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN! ONLY THE TINIEST CHANCE OF VICTORY WILL REMAIN!"

"Oh no." Percy commented with no emotion whatsoever. "We'll probably die." Cody whimpered. Faye looked freaked out. Brayden stared at Papyrus with a bring it on! look.

"ARE YOU READY?" Papyrus asked. He smirked. "BECAUSE! I! AM! ABOUT! TO DO IT!" Everyone braced themselves. Brayden gave Faye a thumbs up and a grin, hoping it would make her feel less freaked out. She blushed. But nothing happened.

"well? what's the holdup?" Sans asked, raising his bone-brow.

"HOLDUP!?" Papyrus asked incredulously. "WHAT HOLDUP!?" He seemed hesitant. "I'M... I'M ABOUT TO ACTIVATE IT NOW!" But still nothing happened.

"Are you gonna do it or what?!" Brayden asked, staring at the skeleton.

"kid's got a point," Sans agreed. "that, uh, doesn't look very activated."

"WELL!" Papyrus protested. "THIS CHALLENGE! IT SEEMS... MAYBE... TOO EASY TO DEFEAT THE HUMANS WITH!" He made a more... heroic expression. "YEAH! WE CAN'T USE THIS ONE! I'M A SKELETON WITH STANDARDS..." Brayden sort of tuned out. These skeletons spoke way too much. He stared at Faye who looked very relieved.

"Hey, Faye," he whispered. She stared at him. "It's not so bad, right? You look pretty happy."

"Um, I guess..." Faye whispered back. She smiled. "Thanks... again." He just gave her a thumbs-up in response. Percy was trying hard not to fan-boy. Papyrus and Sans talked a little more, but Brayden wasn't really listening. He was staring at Faye. She stared back. For some reason, it made him really happy to see her happy. He thought about when they'd first met, and when they reunited at their new school...

"Come on you two," Melody interrupted them. "The genderless kid's showing us a town."

"AWESOME!" Brayden yelled, rushing off. And so the kids arrived at Snowdin.


	8. Bonetrousle

~Brayden~

Snowdin was a nice-looking town. Brayden didn't care, as long as the place had some good food. The kids entered a comforting, wooden store. There was a bunny lady there selling various things, such as food... and posters about someone named 'the Fallen Child'.

"This is good," Cody said, eating one of her Cinnamon Bunnies. "Do you have the recipe, miss?"

"I'm afraid that's a family secret, kiddo," the bunny lady chuckled. "You kids want some Fallen Child posters?"

"Fallen Child posters?" Percy looked interested. Probably more in the 'Fallen Child' part. He was holding out his notepad. The eighth human looked invested as well for once. Brayden didn't care. Stories were for babies! He left the store, returning to Snowdin town. The buildings were wooden and sitting in the snow. They had a welcoming atmosphere surrounding them. Snow-covered trees were behind them.

Brayden wanted to run off. He wanted to battle Papyrus the skeleton. Even though the skeletons were currently driving him bonkers because of all those dumb puzzles, he kind of liked them. They were funny. The eighth human really seemed to like them. They looked at the skeletons like they were old friends or something. His other friends seemed to like them as well. Speaking of them, they were still inside, listening to the bunny lady talk about monster history. Brayden poked his head in.

"Come on guys!" he grumbled. "We've gotta go and fight Papyrus!"

"But I like these stories," Cody said sadly. "And these cinnamon bunnies."

"They're truly fascinating," Percy agreed, looking up from his notebook. He had a Fallen Child poster. "I'm learning more about the human who fell down here long ago. Because they're the only human who ever fell down, they're recognized as a hero around here."

"I like hearing about the RUINS." Faye agreed. She looked a little upset - probably about Toriel. The kids had tried calling Toriel, but she didn't answer. Faye almost cried over it.

"Yeah, yeah, it's all great, CAN WE GO NOW!?" Brayden whined.

"Who's your impatient friend?" the bunny lady asked, laughing. "Where are you kids from, anyway? Are you here with an adult?"

"No, sadly," Melody sighed. "Brayden has a point. We should probably go."

The kids explored Snowdin Town for a bit. Percy spent ages in the library. Everyone else sort of split up. Brayden was really annoyed because he wanted to fight Papyrus and not stuff around in Snowdin. But everyone else wanted to stuff around in Snowdin. He hung out with Melody and Faye. Sometimes kids at school called them his 'girlfriends'. Brayden always protested against this. It was annoying.

"This inn will be a nice place to stay." Melody said, eyeing a comfy inn nextdoor to the shop.

"Can we go now?" Brayden asked irritably.

"I want to look at the inn first." Melody replied, glaring at him. He glared back.

"Um... please don't fight." Faye said quietly, biting her lip.

"I wouldn't waste my time with something so stupid." Melody assured her. Brayden looked really ticked off. "Let's look. Brayden, if you be good, we'll go and..." She sighed. "Fight Papyrus after this."

"YES!" Brayden cheered, making a victory fist. Melody sighed. The kids entered the inn. It had a small lobby with a yellow carpet, a wooden desk, a lamp, a staircase and a couch. Melody approached the bunny lady behind the desk.

"Excuse me, is there a room for seven people?" she asked. The bunny looked surprised.

"No, I'm afraid not," she replied. "There's only one room but it wouldn't fit seven people."

"Oh no," Melody replied, frowning. "Where are we going to sleep?"

"I'll sleep in that room and everyone else can sleep outside." Brayden joked, grinning. Melody glared at him.

"The snow will be cold..." Faye said, shaking her head. She sounded a little sad. "But it's for you, Brayden... you're my best friend..."

"Faye, he was joking." Melody told her. Faye looked embarrassed. Brayden laughed so hard he nearly cried. "Brayden, it's not funny..." Then Melody started laughing as well. Faye stood there awkwardly.

The rabbit child behind the counter started laughing too. "Hey," they said after a bit. "Why am I laughing? I don't even know what's funny." They kept laughing anyway.

The kids re-grouped in front of a Christmas tree.

"HOLY HECK IS IT CHRISTMAS?!" Brayden yelled, staring at the tree. "IS THERE ANYTHING FOR ME?!"

"Yo!" a yellow monster kid wearing a brown and yellow striped shirt chirped up. They sort of looked like a dragon. They stared at the kids. "You guys are kids too, right? I can tell 'cause you're all wearing striped shirts."

"Technically, this is a sweater," Percy corrected. He was holding too many books. "Actually, the only one of us who is really wearing a shirt is Faye." Faye waved shyly.

"Can we goooo now?" Brayden asked, stamping his feet like he needed to pee.

"We need to find some place to sleep first, pardner." Clover told him, folding her arms.

"We can do that later!" Brayden retorted, frowning.

"Maybe Sans and Papyrus know somewhere we can sleep," Cody suggested. "Where are they?" The eighth humangestured for the kids to follow them.

"This kid knows everythin'." Clover remarked. The kids followed the eighth human, who still looked bored. They arrived at a snowy path. Beside it was a lake and some snow-covered trees. Ahead of them was someone. But it was blurry and hard to see.

"What's goin' on?" Clover asked.

"I CAN'T FREAKING SEE!" Brayden complained. He was getting kind of dizzy.

"There's someone there." Faye pointed out.

"Papyrus." Percy said, holding up his notes.

"FINALLY!" Brayden yelled.

"HUMANS," Papyrus spoke. He was shrouded in shadows. "ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT SOME COMPLEX FEELINGS."

"OH COME ON!" Brayden protested. The eighth human looked bored as well.

"FEELINGS LIKE..." Papyrus continued. "THE JOY OF FINDING ANOTHER PASTA LOVER. THE ADMIRATION FOR ANOTHER'S PUZZLE-SOLVING SKILLS. THE DESIRE TO HAVE-"

"SHUT UP!" Brayden interrupted. Everyone gasped, even Papyrus.

"Brayden, that's a swear word!" Melody told him. "You can't say that!"

"I DON'T CARE!" Brayden retorted. He glared at Papyrus. "I'm sick of hearing you TALK all day! Blah blah, who cares!?"

"I think you might be making him upset, Brayden..." Cody commented quietly.

"Can we just FIGHT already!?" Brayden asked the skeleton. "I wanna see what you're made of!"

"ACTUALLY, I WAS GOING TO ASK IF YOU WANTED TO BE FRIENDS!" Papyrus told the kids.

"I wanna be friends!" Cody said cheerfully. Faye did as well. The eighth human gave them a thumbs up. Clover still looked a little suspicious. Melody was shrugging. Percy was taking notes. The regular.

"WELL, WE CAN BE..." Papyrus looked away. "NO! THIS IS ALL WRONG! WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS! YOU ARE HUMANS! I MUST CAPTURE YOU!"

"No!" Cody squeaked. Clover clutched her gun.

"(How?)" Percy asked. "(He will not be able to carry all seven of us...)"

"THEN, I CAN FULFILL MY LIFELONG DREAM!" Papyrus exclaimed. "POWERFUL! POPULAR! PRESTIGIOUS! THAT'S PAPYRUS! THE NEWEST MEMBER... OF THE ROYAL GUARD!" And, finally, Brayden got what he wanted: a battle. Papyrus blocks the way!

"YES!" Brayden cheered, punching the air. "LET'S GOOO!"

"We're not going to fight, right?" Cody asked, biting his lip. "I like Papyrus. I don't want to hurt him."

"You like everyone, Cody," Melody sighed. "Well, I don't want to. And it's wrong, anyway." The eighth human nodded at them. They checked Papyrus so Percy could take notes. Papyrus: 8 ATK 2 DEF. He likes to say "Nyeh heh heh!" The SOULS appeared in the black simulation. They were floating above some bones. The bones didn't touch them.

"Seriously?!" Brayden groaned. "COME ON! A BABY CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!" Meanwhile, the eighth humanwas... flirting with the skeleton. Papyrus blushed.

"WHAT?!" Papyrus asked. "F-FLIRTING?! SO YOU FINALLY REVEAL YOUR ULTIMATE FEELINGS, HUMAN WITH THE STICK AND BANDAGE! W-WELL! I'M A SKELETON WITH VERY HIGH STANDARDS!" The eighth human stared intensely at Papyrus. Somehow, Brayden could tell they were saying they could make spaghetti. "OH NO! YOU'RE MEETING ALL MY STANDARDS! I GUESS THIS MEANS I HAVE TO GO ON A DATE WITH YOU...?" He looked flushed. "LET'S DATE L-LATER! AFTER I CAPTURE YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS!"

"You want," Melody began. "To go on a date. With a skeleton." She was staring at the eighth human with an indescribable expression. "You are weird, dude."

"You can make spaghetti too?" Cody asked the eighth human. "Wow! We should cook together sometime." The attacks started again. It was stupid easy to dodge. Papyrus is thinking about what to wear on his date.

"COME ON!" Brayden yelled at Papyrus. "YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!"

"Let's spare him," Clover suggested. "This is kinda... boring." The children spared the skeleton. Then things got intense.

"LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN HANDLE MY FABLED BLUE ATTACK!" Papyrus cackled. A bunch of blue bones approached the kids. Brayden groaned. He stayed still and tried not to twitch. And then their SOULS fell to the ground. A bone hit everyone except Melody and the eighth human. They had jumped. No one else had.

"NOW THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!" Brayden yelled. "Even though jumping SUCKS!"

"What in tarnation...?" Clover asked, shaking her head.

"Oh no," Percy said emotionlessly. "The attacks are hard now."

"Ouch." Cody frowned, eyeing his SOUL.

"YOU'RE ALL GROUNDED NOW! THAT'S MY ATTACK!" Papyrus cackled. He frowned. "OH NO, I JUST MADE A PUN! NYEHHHH!" 

You're grounded now.

"Um... can we go back to the easier attacks?" Faye asked quietly. Theeighth human was trying to show everyone something. They jumped up and down on the spot.

"Whatcha' got there, pardner?" Clover asked them.

"... jumping?" Faye asked, observing them.

Melody looked excited. "This will be just like dancing!"

"BOO!" Brayden yelled. He didn't like dancing that much. "JUMPING SUCKS!"

"Does not!" Melody scoffed. "You haven't even tried it!"

"I HAVE! IT SUCKS!" Brayden yelled back. It looked like he and Melody were about to get into an argument. Papyrus interrupted them.

"HMM... I WONDER WHAT I SHOULD WEAR..." he said, totally not thinking out loud. The bones approached the kids. The eighth human and Melody jumped like they were born for it. Or should I say, bone for it. Okay, you can hate on the author now. Faye was okay at it. She wasn't much of a jumper. Percy followed Melody, since she was staring at him in a bit of an intimidating way. Clover stayed with her bro as usual.

"THIS IS STUPID!" Brayden complained. He jumped whenever a bone approached him, but his timing was all over the place. So he got hit every second bone. He was already down to ten HP. He felt really angry. He hated losing. And his body was aching. He was beginning to loose focus. Papyrus dabs some Bone Cologne behind his ear.

"WHAT!?" Papyrus asked. "I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT DATE THING!" The eighth humanand Melody continued dancing over the bones. Faye was getting better. Percy was getting worse. Clover was trying to shoot the bones. Brayden was doing even worse than Percy.

"YOU SUCK, YOU STUPID SKELETON!" he yelled at Papyrus, shaking his fist. The yelling so much energy out of him. He was down to 2 HP. Wow, Brayden, even the author doesn't suck that much at the Papyrus fight. Brayden ignored the narrator. He felt sick and weak. He thought he was going to die. There was a bone sitting in his hair. He looked like a caveman. His dad would be so annoyed.

"You're really good," Melody told the eighth human, grinning. "You should join my dance group! We could dance together sometime." They waved it off.

"WELL... T-THAT'S JUST GREAT!" Brayden raged. His voice sounded funny. He fell on the floor, clutching his side. He was so dizzy. He glared at that crazy kid. His head felt light. Get up Brayden, a voice spat in his head. Are you really so weak?

"Wow," Faye admired theeighth human. "You're really good." That made Brayden feel a whole lot better. He wanted to punch something. But he couldn't because he had fallen down and he couldn't get back up.

"Um, hi, Brayden." Cody walked over to him.

"What do you want..." Brayden grumbled, glaring at the ground. Cody flinched. He kept his kind smile. He kneeled down to Brayden's height.

"The genderless kid gave this to me," he said, holding out a donut. It was one of those donuts from the RUINS. "I'm not sure why. They told me not to eat it. I hope they don't mind if you have it." He smiled and put it in Brayden's hands. Brayden didn't say anything for a bit. "It's okay! The stick kid kid will understand. I want you to heal... and k-keep going! I think you're doing great, Brayden! Just don't give up, okay?"

Brayden ate the donut. His HP went up to 14. He suddenly didn't feel so weak and dizzy. Cody was still smiling. "Thanks, Cody." Brayden said, kind of unsure about what to say. He stood up and stretched his arms. Then he grinned and punched Cody 'affectionately' on the arm. Cody almost fell over. "ROCK ON, BUDDY!" He ended up giving Cody a noogie as well. Cody looked flattered.

"Anything for you!" Cody said brightly. He went back over to his sister. Papyrus dabs marina sauce behind his ear.

"YEAH! DON'T MAKE ME USE MY SPECIAL ATTACK!" Papyrus yelled. The eighth human slipped over to Brayden.

"You're not gonna hug me again, are you?" he asked, glaring at them. They shook their head. There was a look of determination in their eyes... even though they were closed. Just go with it. They grabbed his arm. "What the heck are you doing?!" They bent their knees and non-verbally gestured him to copy them. Brayden did, even though he felt kind of weird. A bone approached them. Theeighth human was focused on it.

"Focus, huh? I got it!" Brayden told them. He focused on the bone. It was getting closer. Then, when it was about to hit them, the eighth humantugged his arm. With them pulling and him jumping, they jumped over the first bone. They refused to let him go until they had jumped over all the bones. And stayed still during others. They seemed to know where every bone was coming from. They were good. Really good.

"Stop touching me!" Brayden shooed them away after a while. He hated it when people tried to control him.

"Brayden, they helped you," Melody told him. "Give them some thanks."

Brayden groaned. "Thanks." The eighth humangave him a questioning thumbs up. "Yeah, I can do the rest myself!" They shrugged and went back over to Melody to dance or whatever. Maybe Brayden was jealous of them after all. They were great at everything and knew everything. Why he couldn't be like that? His dad wouldn't hate him so much. No one else would have to, either.

The bone attacks started again. Brayden jumped over them, doing what the eighth human showed him. It worked, much to his annoyance. They looked over from their dancing and gave him a thumbs up. He glared at them. They didn't flinch.

"PAPYRUS: HEAD OF THE ROYAL GUARD!" Papyrus yelled. Papyrus dabs MTT-Brand Cute Juice behind his ear. The eighth human flirted with him a bit more. More bone attacks. "PAPYRUS: UNPARALLELED SPAGHETTORE!"

"Something I haven't heard of," Percy freaked out, fumbling with his notes. "Define 'spaghettore'."

"I think it has to do with spaghetti," Cody answered.

"I see." Percy replied, taking notes. "Very interesting." He walked over to Melody for whatever reason.

"This is crazy," Clover commented, glaring at a bone caught in her gun barrel. "Guns don't work on bones." The attacks started up again. They were getting progressively harder. The eighth human was keeping an eye on everyone, occasionally coming over to assist them. They were really getting on Brayden's nerves.

"I WILL HAVE MANY ADMIRERS, BUT..." Papyrus frowned. "WILL ANYONE LIKE ME AS SINCERELY AS YOU?" He stared at the eighth human. They shrugged flirtatiously. "OR YOUR FRIENDS?"

"Probably not." Melody answered.

"And who said we were friends?" Clover asked. "I don't really like this whole attackin' thing, pardner."

"I think we're friends!" Cody spoke up. "We were always friends, Papyrus!"

"That's not hypothetically possible," Percy retorted, eyeing Cody. "You haven't known Papyrus that long."

"WHO CARES!?" Brayden interrupted. He was feeling very irritated. "WE'RE FIGHTING RIGHT NOW!"

"Oh... I was going to say I liked the snowman skeleton Papyrus made..." Faye commented. She was nearby Brayden now. "Hi, Brayden... I hope you don't mind me being here."

"NO WAY!" Brayden yelled. He didn't feel so terrible. "YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND - AREN'T YOU, LIKE, SUPPOSED TO HANG AROUND ME?!"

"I don't know..." Faye replied, looking anxious.

"Well, you can stay here." Brayden said, grinning at her. "Nice to see you NOT, like... um... what's the word, sucking up to the genderless loser all the time." Faye looked a little upset. She turned away. "Oh come on! They're not THAT great!"

"I think they're really nice." Faye sighed. "They taught me mercy..." She must've been thinking about what happened with Toriel. Her voice sounded clogged up. She wasn't looking at Brayden. "I think I might go and see how Cody is going." She turned away.

"HEY! DON'T GO!" Brayden yelled. Why did he say that stupid thing about the genderless kid? Stupideighth human. He was about to say something else, but the attacks were starting again. He jumped over some more bones. Faye was hanging around Cody and Clover. They looked like they were having fun, jumping over bones and stuff. Brayden really wanted to beat the heck out of the eighth human.

Brayden kept jumping over bones by himself, staying still for other ones and so on. He yelled at every bone that approached him. Melody was helping Percy leap over bones. He freaked out every time he dropped one of his notes. The eighth human was still helping everyone out. Brayden gave them the punching-fist motion every time they came near him. They steered clear.

Papyrus, meanwhile, was going on about how great he was and other nonsense. And his 'special attack'. Everyone was excited about the special attack. Or nervous. Or neither, if you were the eighth human.

"RELEASE YOUR STUPID SPECIAL ATTACK!" Brayden yelled at Papyrus.

"YOU ASKED FOR IT, SMALL ORANGE HUMAN!" Papyrus yelled back. Brayden gritted his teeth. "BEHOLD... MY SPECIAL ATTACK!" A small, furry white dog was chewing a large bone. That's all there was.

"Oh no!" Cody said, genuinely concerned for Papyrus.

"What a cute doggy." Faye admired.

"Seriously?" Clover asked, cocking her head.

"WHAT THE HECK! THAT'S MY SPECIAL ATTACK!" Papyrus yelled. "HEY! YOU STUPID DOG! DO YOU HEAR ME!? STOP MUNCHING ON THAT BONE!" The dog slipped away, taking the bone. "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! COME BACK HERE WITH MY SPECIAL ATTACK!" Papyrus paused. "OH WELL. I'LL JUST USE A REALLY COOL REGULAR ATTACK!"

"Regular?" Melody frowned. "I was looking forward to a special attack!" She looked like she'd been having fun. She'd been dancing the whole time. The eighth humanhad been dancing with her. Brayden still wanted to beat them up.

Papyrus sighed. "HERE'S AN ABSOLUTELY NORMAL ATTACK." It was a lot harder than the previous 'regular attacks'. Brayden found it really difficult. Especially the part with the larger bones. He ended up getting hit a lot. He got down to 2 HP again. There was a part with a ginormous bone. And, for once, he almost let fear control him. His eyesight was dizzy. His body felt limp. He felt weak inside, like a failure. The bone was about to hit him...

... until the eighth humanheroically threw themself in front of him, taking the blow. Brayden wanted to beat them up even more. Why did he like this child in the first place? They fell on the floor, their HP down to 15. They were okay, only slightly injured. They smiled at him of all things they could do.

"WELL..." Papyrus panted. "IT'S CLEAR... YOU CAN'T... DEFEAT ME! YEAH! I CAN SEE YOU ALL SHAKING IN YOUR BOOTS! THEREFORE I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, ELECT TO GRANT YOU ALL PITY! I WILL SPARE YOU, HUMANS! NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO ACCEPT MY MERCY!"

"Oh, it's over?" Melody asked with disappointment. "I was having fun."

"Mercy!" Cody said cheerfully. Faye clapped.

"Let's get this done, y'all." Clover said, grinning. Papyrus is sparing you. The eighth humanlooked pleased. The children spared Papyrus. The battle concluded.

"NYOO HOO HOO..." Papyrus weeped, looking away. He was at the end of an icy patch, nearby the flowing water. "I CAN'T EVEN STOP HUMANS AS WEAK AS YOU ALL..."

"YOU CALLIN' ME WEAK?!" Brayden yelled. Though, in a way, he felt it was true. He would've died if his friends hadn't helped him. He wanted to beat everything and everyone up. And there was this feeling he had that felt like he knew this area...

"You've got that look on your face," Melody observed him. "Something's wrong." Brayden didn't respond.

"UNDYNE'S GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED IN ME," Papyrus monologued. "I'LL NEVER JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD... AND... MY FRIEND QUANTITY WILL REMAIN STAGNANT!"

"No! We'll be your friends!" Cody protested.

"Yeah." Faye agreed, smiling.

"A new friend?" Clover asked. She shrugged. "Why not?"

"I'll take it." Melody agreed.

Brayden stared at Papyrus. He grinned. "YOU KNOW WHAT!? YEAH, LET'S BE FRIENDS!"

"YOU ALL WANT TO BE MY FRIEND...?" Papyrus asked. "I... I GUESS I CAN MAKE AN ALLOWANCE FOR YOU ALL! WOWIE! THE RED HUMAN AND I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD OUR FIRST DATE... AND NOW WE ALL HIT THE FRIENDZONE!" Papyrus then explained how to reach the barrier. The kids learnt about ASGORE and how he wanted human SOULS to open the barrier and etc. Look, I'm lazy, I'm not writing too much about that. Percy took notes. They'll talk about it later.

"Hey, Papyrus, may I ask you something?" Melody asked.

"SURE, BLUE BALLERINA HUMAN!" Papyrus responded.

"My name is Melody, please call me that," Melody replied, making a face. "Anyway, do you know somewhere we can stay for the night? The inn doesn't have a room for us seven."

"AH!" Papyrus cheered. "WELL, AS MY FRIENDS... YOU CAN STAY AT MY HOUSE! IT'LL BE LIKE... A BIG SLEEPOVER!"

"A sleepover?" Melody asked. "I suppose."

"Yeah!" Cody agreed. "That's a great idea, Papyrus!"

"I like it." Faye said, nodding.

"Me too, as long as I don't have to sleep with her again." Clover agreed, eyeing Melody. Melody rolled her eyes.

"SLEEPOVER!" Brayden yelled, punching the air. The genderless kid nodded. Percy shrugged.

"THEN IT'S SETTLED!" Papyrus declared. "WE'LL HAVE A SLEEPOVER AT MY HOUSE!" He paraded off into the sky. Percy then got into an argument with Melody and Clover about how Papyrus just paraded into the sky. The eighth humanwas staring at Brayden. They looked... kind of guilty. Sad? Concerned? Pained? Something like that. Brayden tried to ignore their face, but it looked like they'd been through Hell and back. They shook it off and went over to Melody to discuss ballet or something. They really were a weird kid.


	9. Sleepover! START!

~Brayden (and a bit of Melody)~

Sans and Papyrus had a pretty cool house. It was a wood-plank house with a snow-covered roof. There was a Christmas wreath on the door. Two mailboxes were next to it. Papyrus was standing near a gleaming window.

"SO YOU'RE ALL HERE FOR THE SLEEPOVER!" he shouted. "GREAT! SANS AND I ARE JUST SETTING UP INSIDE. YOU ALL WILL BE SLEEPING IN MY ROOM! I WILL BE SLEEPING ON THE COUCH..." He grinned. "WOWIE! I'VE NEVER SLEPT ON THE COUCH BEFORE! I THINK... "

"We can sleep on the couch if you want," Cody offered. "We don't have to take your room..."

"No way! Room for the win!" Brayden cheered. He was pretty excited for the sleepover.

"You're not sleepin' on the bed this time, pardner." Clover told him, giving him the stink eye. He blew a raspberry at her.

"AND THE RED CHILD AND I NEED TO HAVE A DATE!" Papyrus cackled. "NYEH HEH HEH! IN WE GO!" He opened the door. Everyone went inside. Inside was a nice-looking house with maroon walls and a green and purple zig-zag carpet. There was a green couch, a TV and an entrance to the kitchen. A wooden table was carrying a rock covered in sprinkles. There was a staircase leading up to two bedrooms.

"Nice house, Papyrus!" Cody complimented. He was eyeing the kitchen.

"I like the rock." Faye commented, staring at the rock. Percy was taking notes.

"I'm not sure about the colours, but apart from that I like the house." Melody commented. Clover shrugged.

"Where's your room?" Brayden asked Papyrus, almost jumping up and down. Although he hadn't been to many sleepovers (he had had some trouble with friends in the past), he was still very excited.

"THIS WAY, LITTLE ORANGE HUMAN!" Papyrus declared, running up the stairs.

"THAT'S NOT MY NAME!" Brayden yelled, chasing after him. The kids entered Papyrus' bedroom. It had a purple mat with a fiery border, a wooden table full of action figures, a race car bed and a bookshelf. There was a computer in the corner. Percy was staring at it, almost smiling. A pirate flag was on the wall. There was also a spare bed in the corner, covered in a colourful doona.

"HERE WE ARE!" Papyrus exclaimed. "WHERE YOU ALL MAY SLEEP TONIGHT!"

Sans entered the room, grinning. "the kids are here? awesome. let's just hope this sleepover doesn't turn into... a child-tastrophe."

"SANS!" Papyrus yelled, eyes appearing in his sockets.

"No kidding." Faye agreed, smirking.

"SANS! YOU'VE INFECTED THE LIGHT BLUE HUMAN WITH YOUR PUN ENTOURAGE!" Papyrus bellowed.

"i don't think that's her name, pap," Sans chuckled. "hey, kids, what are your names?"

"I'm Faye, nice to meet you." Faye introduced herself.

"I'm Brayden!" Brayden yelled. He stared at Papyrus. "NOT SMALL ORANGE HUMAN!"

"I'm Melody, if you forgot." Melody sighed.

"Percy." Percy said, focusing on his notes.

"Hi, I'm Cody!" Cody said brightly. "Thanks for letting us stay here!"

"The name's Clover." Clover introduced, adjusting her hat.

"and what about you, kid with the stick?" Sans asked the eighth human. They looked away.

"Oh... they don't really have a name..." Faye explained.

"Or a gender." Percy added.

"Just call 'em stick kid or something." Clover told the skeletons.

"WOWIE! CHECK IT OUTIE, SANS!" Papyrus cheered. "I HAVE SEVEN NEW FRIENDS!"

"great job, pap," Sans chuckled. He eyed the kids. "you kids can go to sleep whenever you want. there's spaghetti in the fridge if you're hungry - or you can go to grillby's and get something there if you want. i'm going there tomorrow, actually. you kids can come with."

"Sounds great - though I can always cook something... if you want!" Cody cheered. The other kids looked happy as well.

"enjoy yourselves, kids." Sans told them. He winked. "just don't kid around too much." He left the room, Papyrus screaming his name. The taller skeleton chased his brother.

"I just realized," Faye commented. "We never really introduced ourselves to the genderless kid..." Brayden wasn't really sure he wanted to. That kid was still sort of annoying him, even if they looked at him with a haunting expression. Somehow that managed to tug at his... heartstrings...? He didn't like that feeling at all.

"Well, we introduced ourselves to Sans and Papyrus, and the stick kid is not deaf, so that greeting can go for them as well." Percy said. The eighth humanseemed okay with that.

"What do you wanna do now, y'all?" Clover asked.

"Let's figure out who's sleeping where, duh," Melody told her. "Some of us can go in one bed and the others can go in the other."

"I BAGS THIS ONE!" Brayden yelled, jumping into the race-car bed.

"I am not sharing a bed with Brayden." Melody declared. "No way in heck. And not with Clover, either."

"I'm okay to sleep anywhere." Cody spoke up. Faye nodded in agreement. So did the eighth human.

"I'll sleep on the floor." Percy said, sitting on the carpet.

"Percy, you don't have to..." Melody begun. Brayden knew Percy was a guy who liked his own space. Well, he was an only child after all. Brayden wasn't too fussy, though he had preferences (Faaayyyeeeeeee). At home, sometimes he slept on the couch with his sisters. Once he fell asleep on his mom after school, and he really hoped no one found out about that.

"I don't want anyone in my personal space." Percy said, lying down.

"I'll go ask Sans and Papyrus for some more pillows and blankets for you, Percy." Cody said. He left the bedroom.

"Your brother is way too nice, Clover," Melody sighed. "My mom said he might get into the 'wrong crowd', like Brayden."

"Hey!" Brayden protested. He didn't like to think about when he got in with the 'wrong crowd'. Those kids were a bunch of cowards. They hurt his friends. They hurt Faye. They hurt her. If he hadn't become friends with them, she wouldn't be gone.

"That won't happen," Clover said, sounding very serious. "I promise you that, Melody Trust. That will not happen."

"Alright, calm down," Melody said, waving her hands. "Well, if Percy wants to sleep on the floor..."

"Even divide," Percy said. "Those two look comfy." He was talking about Faye and the eighth human who were on the spare bed. They were talking to each other about something. Brayden didn't like that too much. He jumped on the bed and joined in.

"WE'RE BEDMATES NOW!" he yelled, putting his arms around them. He eyed the eighth human.

"Oh come on!" Melody complained, eyeing Clover.

"My bro is sleeping between us," Clover said, folding her arms. "And don't you dare annoy him." Speak of the devil (cinnamon roll, more like), Cody returned with pillows and a blanket. He helped Percy set up a pillow/blanket bed on the floor.

"I also tried some of Papyrus' spaghetti!" Cody exclaimed. He made a face. He looked around, as if he was looking out for spies. "It's, um, not very good... don't tell Papyrus. And they don't have any cooking things either, apart from... pasta. I think we should go to Grillby's tomorrow."

"Fine with me." Clover said. She was sitting up in the race-car bed. Cody went over to her and they talked about stuff. The eighth human left to go on their 'date' with Papyrus. No one liked Papyrus like they did, so no one came with them. Brayden was happy because he got to be alone with Faye (apart from the others).

"Heeeeeey," he said, grinning at her. She looked at him. "Wassup?"

"The ceiling," she replied. Brayden groaned. "My dad said that to me once." She paused. "Do you like all the monsters we're meeting? It's so nice. I haven't made this many friends for ages." Her smile twitched a little. She was probably thinking about Toriel.

"Yeah, they're AWESOME!" Brayden cheered. "Monsters are the coolest!" Faye looked inquisitive about something. She frowned.

She stared at Brayden with a funny look in her eyes. "Do you hate them?" she asked, sounding sad. "Do you hate the stick kid?"

"WHAT?! No!" Brayden answered. Suddenly, his feelings felt mixed. Stunned? Sad? Guilty? He grabbed the doona tightly in one fist.

"You're jealous of them, aren't you?" Faye asked, gazing at him. She was too smart.

"NOO!" Brayden grumbled. "I'M NOT JEALOUS OF ANYONE!"

"He's jealous." Melody agreed, looking over from her bed. Clover shrugged. Percy was writing notes. Cody looked awkward.

"I'M NOT!" Brayden repeated. "YOU'RE ALL WRONG! AND NOW I'M GOING TO BED!" He face-palmed onto the pillow.

"A true man would reveal his feelings." Melody told him. "It's the right thing to do."

"GOODNIGHT." Brayden said loudly, fake-snoring into the pillow. Feelings made him feel weak. And he wasn't weak. Suddenly, the eighth human and Papyrus burst in.

"HUMANS!" Papyrus yelled. "YOUR RED FRIEND AND I HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING... WE SHOULD ALL HAVE A HANGOUT TOGETHER!"

"Together?" The kids stared at Papyrus and the eighth human.

"YES!" Papyrus said, grinning. "ALTHOUGH I ASSUME ONLY THE RED CHILD HAS FEELINGS TOWARDS ME, THAT DOES NOT MEAN ALL OF US CAN'T BE FRIENDS!"

The kids gazed at each other.

"A date...? Whaddya say, y'all?" Clover asked, raising her brow.

"I've never been on a date before..." Faye mumbled.

"I think we should do it," Cody agreed, smiling. "Papyrus is nice."

"YEAH!" Brayden yelled, suddenly sitting up. "LET'S DAAATTTEEEE!"

HANGOUT! START!

"HERE WE ARE!" Papyrus yelled. He was standing in front of the kids with a big grin. "ON OUR DATE/HANGOUT! I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY DONE THIS BEFORE." Brayden hadn't dated anyone either. He was... excited?

"Great to know." Melody commented, frowning.

"BUT DON'T WORRY!" Papyrus shouted. "YOU CAN'T SPELL 'PREPARED' WITHOUT SEVERAL LETTERS FROM MY NAME!"

"Three letters," Percy said, holding up his notes. "The words share three letters in common."

"YES!" Papyrus agreed. He held up a dating manual. "I SNAGGED AN OFFICIAL DATING/HANGOUT RULEBOOK FROM THE LIBRARY! WE'RE READY TO HAVE A GREAT TIME!" Believe it or not, the eighth human looked bored. They looked like they'd done this before. They looked less bored when they stared at the others.

"WHOOO!" Brayden cheered, punching the air. He didn't feel bored like they did.

"Yay!" Cody said brightly.

"Let's do this." Clover said, grinning.

"STEP ONE..." Papyrus said, holding the book up to his face. He looked like James Bond. "OPEN THE DATING HUD!"

"What's the dating hud?" Brayden asked. The eighth human opened the dating hud. It was a computer-like thing with monitors recording stuff. Percy looked fascinated.

"There's an egg in the corner." Faye noticed, staring at an egg in the corner. No one knows why there's an egg in the corner, not even the eighth human. Some questions will never be answered, readers.

"STEP TWO... ASK THEM ON A DATE," Papyrus said, referring to the book. He cleared his... throat... I give up. "HUMANS! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL GO ON A HANGOUT/DATE WITH YOU ALL!"

"I ain't dating anyone." Clover grumbled.

"And we're too young to be dating anyway." Melody agreed, folding her arms like yo mamma. The eighth human pouted.

"We're not technically dating, we're hanging out," Percy retorted. "To 'hang out' means to spend time relaxing or enjoying oneself, usually with friends. To date means to go out with someone who is sexually or romantically-"

"CAN WE JUST DATE!?" Brayden yelled, not interested in hearing Percy talk for an hour. He stared at Papyrus. "WE'LL 'HANG OUT' WITH YOU!"

"WOWIE!" Papyrus blushed. Percy freaked out because it looked like an anime expression. "R-REALLY?! I GUESS THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR PART THREE!" The book returned. "STEP THREE: PUT ON NICE CLOTHES TO SHOW THAT YOU CARE..." He gazed at the kids. "WAIT A SECOND. YOU'RE ALL WEARING CLOTHING! NOT ONLY THAT, EARLIER TODAY, YOU WERE ALSO WEARING CLOTHING!"

"Well, we aren't going to run around nude, are we?" Melody asked, shaking her head. "My parents would never approve."

Papyrus started blushing again. "NO... COULD IT BE?" He gasped. "YOU'VE WANTED TO DATE ME FROM THE VERY BEGINNING!"

"Only they want to date you." Melody pointed at the eighth human. They shrugged.

"Yeah, dating is... kinda weird." Brayden commented, making a face. He honestly thought dating was... kinda weird. The eighth human was nodding at Papyrus with a smirk. Papyrus gasped.

"NO!" he exclaimed. He looked derp. "SMALL RED HUMAN! YOU PLANNED IT ALL! YOU'RE WAY BETTER AT DATING THAN I AM! N-NOOOO! YOUR DATING POWER!" A bar called 'DATE POWER' appeared. The blue bar increased, causing Papyrus to freak out.

"Is Papyrus okay?" Cody asked with concern.

"This is nothing like the Bold and the Beautiful." Percy commented. He grinned. "However, it's much more similar to anime..."

"NYEH!" Papyrus yelled. Somehow, he was sweat-beading. And tension was increasing. "DON'T THINK YOU'VE BESTED ME YET! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS... HAVE NEVER BEEN BEATEN AT DATING AND I NEVER WILL! I CAN EASILY KEEP UP WITH YOU ALL! YOU SEE, I, TOO, CAN WEAR CLOTHING!"

"This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen," Melody grumbled. "Who can't wear clothing?"

"That's not very nice, Melody." Cody told Melody with a frown.

"And there are things that can't wear clothing," Percy added. "Such as something that lives in the desert - if they wore clothing they would overheat." 

Melody rolled her eyes.

"ATTENTION, HUMANS!" Papyrus yelled, observing the kids. "I ALWAYS WEAR MY 'SPECIAL' CLOTHES UNDERNEATH MY REGULAR CLOTHES! JUST IN CASE SOMEONE HAPPENS TO ASK ME ON A DATE!" He disappeared for a moment.

"He said he's never dated anyone before," Melody commented, raising her brow. "But he acts like he's done this a ton of times."

"Maybe you're just jealous, Melody." Brayden said, smirking.

"Me? Jealous of dating?" Melody asked, widening her eyes. She smacked Brayden on the arm. Brayden yelled in complaint. "DUDE! I would never act so, well, stupid!"

"Yeah, sure." Clover commented, folding her arms. Melody glared at her. Papyrus came back. He was wearing a shirt that said COOL DUDE, basketball shoulder pads, a baseball hat and comedically-oversized shoes.

"NYEH!" Papyrus exclaimed. "WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY SECRET STYLE!?"

"That," Melody took a deep breath. "Is the most stupid, annoying, pathetic, sad, awful, terrible, excruciating, atrocious, hideous, sickening, shocking, ghastly-"

"WE GET IT!" Brayden yelled.

"... dull thing I've ever seen!" Melody exclaimed, ignoring Brayden. She was holding one of Percy's dictionaries. "Honestly, it's terrible! There are so many more words I want to use right now!"

"I think it's nice." Faye commented, biting her lip.

"Yeah, I think it's cute," Cody told Papyrus. "I'm sorry if Melody hurt your feelings. It's great, really!" The eighth human gave Papyrus a thumbs up. Papyrus gasped, eyeing them.

"NO!" he exclaimed. "THE FLIRTATIOUS ONE HAS GIVEN ME A GENUINE COMPLIMENT...!" The dating power went up. "HOWEVER... YOU DON'T TRULY UNDERSTAND THE HIDDEN POWER OF THIS OUTFIT! THEREFORE... WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS INVALID, RED HUMAN! AND YOU TOO, MELODY!" Melody frowned. The dating power decreased. "THIS DATE WON'T ESCALATE ANY FURTHER!" Papyrus smirked. "UNLESS YOU FIND MY SECRET! BUT THAT WON'T HAPPEN!"

"You sayin' I can't find your secret!?" Brayden said, accepting the challenge. He grinned. "I won't just find your secret! I'LL BEAT THE HECK OUT OF IT!"

"That's not possible." Percy told him.

"SHUSH, NERD BOY!" Brayden yelled. The eighth human had already found the secret. They pointed at Papyrus' hat. "HOW'D YOU FIND THAT SO QUICKLY!?" They didn't answer.

"MY HAT," Papyrus commented. His tone escalated. "MY HAT! NYEH HEH HEH!" His cap came off, revealing a wrapped present. "I SUPPOSE I HAVE NO CHOICE... IT'S A PRESENT... A PRESENT JUST FOR YOU ALL!" The eighth humanopened it. A plate of spaghetti was sitting on Papyrus' head. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?"

"Spaghetti!" Cody answered brightly. He then looked disturbed about something. Probably because the spaghetti wasn't very good.

"A long, thin, cylindrical, solid pasta. Spaghetti is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine. Like other pasta, spaghetti is made of milled wheat and water." Percy answered like he was the internet.

"Pasta, I guess." Clover shrugged.

"FOOD!" Brayden yelled, punching the air.

"YOU ARE ALL SO RIGHT!" Papyrus exclaimed. He cackled. "BUT OH-SO WRONG! THIS AIN'T ANY PLAIN 'OL PASTA! THIS IS AN ARTISAN'S WORK! SILKEN SPAGHETTI, FINELY AGED IN AN OAKEN CASK... THEN COOKED BY ME, MASTER CHEF PAPYRUS!"

"Wouldn't that be kinda mouldy, though?" Clover asked, raising her brow.

"Ageing food is a great way to achieve new flavours," Percy replied. "Though it's traditionally associated with blue cheese and Christmas pudding."

"Ageing works on other foods too," Cody agreed. "Like-"

"CAN WE JUST EAT THE SPAGHETTI NOW!?" Brayden interrupted. The eighth humanwas giving him a look. So was Cody. "Oh yeah, that's right, it sucks."

"Shh!" Cody begged. Brayden shrugged.

"HUMANS!" Papyrus bellowed. "IT'S TIME TO END THIS! THERE'S NO WAY THIS CAN GO ANY FURTHER!" The eighth human held up a fork. They looked like they were braving themself up. Cody gasped like it was the end of the world.

"Good luck, pardner." Clover told them, patting their shoulder.

"It smells terrible," Melody sighed. "Try your best, hm?"

"So brave..." Faye admired, biting her lip. Percy shrugged. Brayden punched the eighth human's shoulder.

"Go for it!" he yelled. Theeighth human took a small bite of the spaghetti. Their face reflexively scrunched up. Brayden realized it must've tasted awful if they were making an actual expression.

"WHAT A PASSIONATE EXPRESSION!" Papyrus exclaimed. "YOU MUST REALLY LOVE MY COOKING. AND BY EXTENSION, ME! MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN I DO! AUGH!" He shook as the dating power increased. "URGHHH! NOOO!" The dating power went off the charts. There was white everywhere.

"WHAT THE HECK?!" Brayden yelled.

"What's goin' on?" Clover looked suspicious.

"RED HUMAN," Papyrus spoke. The eighth human looked up. "IT'S CLEAR NOW. EVERYTHING YOU DO. EVERYTHING YOU SAY. IT'S ALL BEEN FOR MY SAKE. HUMAN WITH THE STICK. I WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY, TOO. IT'S TIME FOR ME TO EXPRESS MY FEELINGS. IT'S TIME THAT I TOLD YOU... I, PAPYRUS..." Papyrus returned. He looked flustered. "UM... BOY, IS IT HOT IN HERE, OR IS IT JUST ME?"

"JUST TELL THEM ALREADY!" Brayden yelled.

"OH, SHOOT," Papyrus sighed. He looked away. "RED HUMAN, I... I'M SORRY. I DON'T LIKE YOU THE WAY YOU LIKE ME. ROMANTICALLY, I MEAN. I MEAN, I TRIED VERY HARD TO!" The eighth human just shrugged it off. They patted Papyrus on the femur bone. Cody patted their shoulder. Faye smiled at them, even though they were handling the situation a little too well. "I THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE YOU FLIRTED WITH ME... THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO ON A DATE WITH YOU! THEN, ON THE DATE, FEELINGS WOULD BLOSSOM FORTH! I WOULD BE ABLE TO MATCH YOUR PASSION FOR ME! BUT ALAS, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS... HAVE FAILED. I FEEL JUST THE SAME AS BEFORE."

The eighth human shrugged. They didn't mind.

"So... the date's over?" Brayden asked.

"PERHAPS IT IS, BRAYDEN," Papyrus sighed.

"Hey! You remembered my name!" Brayden cheered.

"BUT FIRST!" Papyrus exclaimed. "I MUST MONOLOGUE ABOUT HOW I DRAGGED THE POOR RED CHILD INTO A DEEPER POOL OF PASSION FOR ME. HOW COULD I HAVE DONE SUCH A THING TO EVERYONE'S BELOVED FRIEND?" He whimpered. He gasped. "NO! WAIT! THAT'S WRONG! I CAN'T FAIL AT ANYTHING! RED HUMAN! I'LL HELP YOU THROUGH THESE TRYING TIMES! I'LL KEEP BEING YOUR COOL FRIEND... AND ACT LIKE THIS ALL NEVER HAPPENED. AFTER ALL, YOU ARE VERY GREAT. ALL OF YOU! IT WOULD BE TRAGIC TO LOOSE YOUR FRIENDSHIPS."

"It's okay, Papyrus." Cody commented.

"Yeah, we're still friends." Faye agreed.

"Oh for goodness' sake," Melody grumbled. "This is so stupid." She fiddled with her dark hair. "Yes, we are still friends."

"SO PLEASE, HUMAN THAT WIELDS A STICK..." Papyrus pleaded. "DON'T CRY BECAUSE I WON'T KISS YOU. BECAUSE, I DON'T EVEN HAVE LIPS. AND HEY, SOMEDAY, YOU'LL FIND SOMEONE AS GREAT AS ME." The eighth human looked unsure. "WELL, NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE. BUT I'LL HELP YOU SETTLE FOR SECOND BEST! NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!" Papyrus left the room.

"We'll help too!" Cody agreed, giving the eighth human a hug. They smiled. Brayden punched them on the shoulder. Melody sighed. Faye grinned at them. Clover did too. Percy took notes as usual.

Suddenly, Papyrus returned. "OH, AND IF YOU EVER NEED TO REACH ME... HERE'S MY PHONE NUMBER!" He gave the kids a phone number. Percy added it to the phone's contacts. "YOU CAN CALL ME ANYTIME! PLATONICALLY." He grinned. "ANYWAY! WE SHOULD ALL WATCH A MOVIE! THEN YOU CAN ALL TRY SOME OF MY SPAGHETTI!" Everyone gazed at each other, looking very unexcited.

The kids and the skeletons all watched some really terrible comedy film with awful puns every ten seconds. They all sat on the squeaky couch or the floor. Brayden was sitting next to Faye on the couch, of course. If Brayden was honest, this movie was one of the worst movies he'd ever seen. But yet he was laughing every ten seconds.

"SCREW THIS MOVIE!" he yelled about thirty minutes in. He started laughing again.

"is it really that bad?" Sans asked. Some character in the movie fell over. Sans winked. "i guess you could say... it flopped." Everyone groaned.

"I'm surprised Sans isn't a character in this abomination." Melody groaned.

"thanks, melody," Sans replied. "but if i was in it, it would fall below the standards of 'abomination'. in fact, it would probably..." Another character slipped on a banana peel. "slip up."

"SANS!" Papyrus screamed. Faye giggled.

"This movie has fallen down further than we have." she commented, snorting.

"Don't YOU start!" Brayden grumbled, glaring at Faye.

"But Brayden, puns are funny," Faye quietly protested. "Even if they flop all the time." Everyone groaned again.

A little bit later, the kids were starting to get tired. Because they're kids and kids get tired (aside from the genderless one because they're a special snowflake). Even Brayden was getting tired. He ended up falling asleep on Faye's shoulder. She didn't seem to mind, even if she couldn't really move. She just watched the end of the movie, grinning at her best friend's head snoozing on her shoulder.


	10. Brayden's Bravery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains mentioned suicide.

~Brayden~

The kids returned from the date/movie. They were so tired they all jumped into bed and fell asleep. Except for Brayden. That eighth human was annoying him again. He tried to sleep but he wasn't tired. This didn't happen much, but if it did, he usually did something stupid and made himself tired. Once he went to Faye's parents' house and he was too excited to sleep. He and Faye ended up sneaking outside and messing around in her backyard until midnight. Brayden fell asleep on a bush. He remembered Faye's parents thinking it was adorable when they found the kids in the morning. They didn't even punish them they thought it was so cute.

Suddenly, the eighth human started acting weird. They started sweating and rolling around and breathing heavily. They sounded terrified. Brayden had never seen them act like this. He wasn't a sleep expert but he didn't have any good feelings.

"Hey," he shook their shoulder. He whisper-shouted, "Stick kid!" The eighth human suddenly woke up. Their eyes were wide open. They shoved Brayden off the bed, a horrid expression on their face. They shook their head and closed their eyes. Brayden looked at them.

"That actually really hurt," he remarked. Somehow his HP had gone down. The eighth human gazed at him with a frown. They offered him a bandage. "I'm fine. You're really strong for a wimp." He stood up. "You okay? You were freaking out in your sleep." He felt... actually concerned for them. He wanted to beat them up before, but now...

The eighth human gave him a thumbs up. They rubbed their eyes. No one else seemed to be awake. They stood up and walked over to the bedroom door.

"Where are you goin'?" Brayden asked. "Can I come? I'm bored and I can't sleep." The eighth human nodded. Brayden grinned and followed them.

The kids left the house without anyone knowing and went outside. The eighth human knew the place really well. Brayden felt like he knew the place as well, somehow. Somehow... he almost felt like he'd been here as well...? He could say that about the Underground in general. Something felt so familiar...

It was still kind of chilly. The eighth human was going towards the forest. They walked across the swaying bridge, admiring the snow-covered trees ahead.

"Where are we going?" Brayden asked. The eighth human shrugged. "Hey, you're really weird, you know?" They shrugged again. "Can you talk? With, y'know, words and stuff?" They shrugged. "Can you NOT shrug all the time!?" They shrugged.

Brayden felt impatient. "D'you wanna fight me?!" They shrugged. They got to the snow poff area. Brayden growled. They were annoying as well as weird. He wanted to beat them up all over again.

"Y'know what!?" Brayden yelled. "SCREW YOU! WE'RE FIGHTING RIGHT NOW! IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN RECOVER MY LOST HONOUR!" He raised his fists. He tried to punch the eighth human. They dodged effortlessly. He tried again. They dodged, their short, brown hair blowing in the breeze.

"COME ON, LET ME HIT YOU!" He tried again. They dodged, not even moving their arms. "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME HIT YOU?! WHY WON'T YOU FIGHT BACK!?" The eighth human winked at him like they did with Papyrus. For some reason it made Brayden blush. "WHAT THE HECK!?"

Then the eighth human turned and fled, kicking snow out of their way. Brayden glared at them. "HEY! GET BACK HERE!" He chased them. Brayden didn't know where they were taking him. They were swerving past trees, leaping over bushes. It seemed they were going deeper into the forest. Wind rushed through their hair. They looked like they were... following somebody? Brayden didn't care. He wasn't going to let them escape.

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY!" Brayden yelled, his heart racing. Or his SOUL? It didn't matter. The eighth human shoved past more trees. Monsters hanging around were giving them strange looks. Brayden was keeping up. He was going to catch them.

Then the eighth human did a 180 and weaved through all the trees again. Brayden was so confused. But he didn't care right now. He needed to stop this kid. He copied them, kicking past all of the white, shiny snow. They returned to the area with the snow poffs. The eighth human ran onto the wooden bridge. It swayed underneath their weight. Brayden smirked as he approached the bridge. He had them now!

The eighth human slowed their place, taking sly steps on the bridge. Then they stopped at the center of the bridge. Their arms dropped. They seemed to be staring at something. They looked almost hypnotized.

"HEY!" Brayden yelled. But the eighth human didn't hear him. They didn't move. Suddenly, their figure hunched. They pulled out a... long, sharp red sword from somewhere and held it high above their head. Brayden wondered where they got that from. It reflected the white, shiny snow. It was rather intimidating.

"Where'd you get that from?" Brayden asked them. He stormed across the bridge. "Can I have one?" They didn't reply. Their face was shrouded in shadows. Their eyes were glowing, red dots.

Brayden pretended to not be creeped out. "Hey! ARE YOU DEAF?!" Suddenly, theeighth human brought the sword down. They sliced the bridge in half. There was a shiver. And then the world went downwards.

"WHAT THE HECK!?" Brayden yelled, glaring at the eighth human. Their eyes widened in horror. The sword disappeared into thin air. They stared at Brayden, and they looked even more horrified. They closed their eyes again. The bridge swung downwards, flying towards the ravine below. It was scarier than any roller-coaster Brayden had been crazy enough to go on. The wind rushed through their hair. Adrenaline raced through their hearts. The kids held onto the bridge for their very lives. Brayden didn't want to admit it, but that ravine below them was creeping him out. And also, he was about to fall to his death. He yelled out random words, clinging onto the bridge. He didn't want to die yet.

The eighth human put their arm around Brayden's waist and grabbed onto the bridge's loose ropes. They had a surprisingly tight hold. They gazed at the ravine below. Rocks fell down, bouncing on the walls. The sound echoed. Somehow, they didn't look scared at all. Brayden had to be envious of their bravery. They pulled up on the rope with their arms and legs, determination in their closed eyes. Brayden felt... inspired.

"We're getting out of this TOGETHER!" he yelled. He helped the eighth human climb up the bridge. They made it to safety - a snowy ledge. Luckily, they were on the side of the bridge that led to Snowdin. The eighth human flopped onto the snow and made snow angels. They took a deep breath of relief. Brayden leaped into the air like he just didn't care. Well, actually, he did. He was very relieved.

"YEAH!" Brayden cheered, fist-pumping the air. "TEAM BRAYDEN CONQUERS ANYTHING!" He stopped smiling and glared at the eighth human. He pinned them down so they couldn't move, like in those wrestling shows he liked to watch. "YOU'RE SO DEAD! WHAT WERE YOU EVEN DOING?! WERE YOU TRYING TO..." He paused. His voice sounded funny. He remembered something terrible. He almost shivered. "Kill yourself or something?"

It's your fault.

The eighth human shook their head. Brayden frowned. "Well, what were you doin'? Trying to kill me?"

You did this to her.

They shook their head again. The eighth human had a funny expression on their face. Brayden felt annoyed. "Then what were you doing?!" The eighth human looked away. They looked back with an expression that said something interesting.

You're a murderer who cares about popularity more than lives.

"... you saw something?" Brayden asked. He frowned. "That's weird. What'd you see?" The eighth human shook their head. Brayden growled. "Can't tell? Oh come ON!"

It's sad that I have such a poor son. I thought you were better than that.

"You can do so much crazy stuff, but you can't tell me what you SAW?!" Brayden asked, feeling even more enraged. "WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM!?" He tried to punch them in the face, but they dodged. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"

Brayden felt so sick of all this. He just wanted to be a good son and a good friend... but he still failed. He failed every time. Everyone frowned at him. This eighth human could do everything with a blink of an eye. Everyone respected them. There was something special about them and this world. They were amazing. He wasn't.

It was obvious now. Brayden was jealous of them.

Why don't you go climb up that mountain? It's a better place for you.

Brayden tried not to cry. He just couldn't get respect... or love... no matter how brave he tried to be. Something was always his downfall. Even Faye was beginning to like the eighth human more than him. They were so much better in every way. He couldn't compete with that. His dad was right. He should've climbed up this mountain ages ago.

You are a failure.

Brayden sat down next to them. "I'm sorry... it's just..." He laughed. But not in a good way. "IT'S SO HARD BEING BRAVE FOR PEOPLE ALL THE TIME! AND YOU CAN DO IT JUST LIKE BAM! HOW?! IT'S NOT FAIR!" His voice sounded funny. He was shivering and not from the cold. The eighth human sat up. They patted his shoulder.

"I... I... just can't..." Brayden took a deep yet shaky breath. "NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ME!" he yelled. He punched the snow beside him as hard as he could. His hand felt cold. And he felt furious. He wanted to beat himself up. He tried not to cry. The eighth human, suddenly, gave him a big hug. Brayden wasn't always a hug fan. But he could make an exception this one time. He let the eighth human hug him. They were pretty nice after all. They were many things.

Brayden laughed good-naturedly this time. "Thanks. Hey," He stared at them. "I'm sorry 'bout all that stuff before. You're not that bad. You saved me a hundred million times." He stared at the bridge, then at the ravine. He decided he'd like the eighth human, instead of being a jerk because he was jealous of them. He wasn't going to be like those mean kids. That made him remember. He, for once, felt like telling a story. "Y'know, I got in with some stupid people at school before I met Melody and Percy. It SUCKED..."

Being the new kid was hard for Brayden. Until he was accepted into some group of 'cool kids' who were 'tough', like him. They liked to pick on 'weaklings'. They told Brayden it was 'cool'. Brayden wanted to be 'cool' - so his dad would stop hating him. Brayden and the 'cool kids' were hanging about in the playground and picking on random kids.

"Dweeb." one member of the 'cool kids' jeered at some kid who fell over. The kid limped away, looking sad.

"These losers all suck, right, Brayden?" another member asked Brayden, grinning.

Brayden nodded. "Heck yeah!" He didn't really think so. He liked to tease people sometimes, and he liked fighting, but this felt... weird. But it was 'cool', apparently. Brayden sighed. "Guys, I gotta go pee, I'll be back." The group nodded. So he ran off to the bathrooms. On the way, he ran into the ballet-obsessed teacher's pet, Melody Trust. Her dark hair was in a very neat bun. She was wearing her infamous tutu.

"Brayden Valiance," she greeted him. "New boy. Why are you with the bullies?"

"Bullies?" Brayden grumbled. "They're not bullies. They're awesome!"

"They're jerks," Melody told him. "Bad kids. I really think you should ditch them."

"You're just jealous!" Brayden retorted, blowing a raspberry. "You only have one friend! I have TONS!"

"Percy Verance is my best friend, not my only friend," Melody said, frowning. "Look, all I'm saying is those kids you play with aren't really great friends. They're all insecure (my dad told me) and they pick on others." She sighed. "Don't you get it, Brayden? They're cowards. If you hang out with them, you're one too."

"You're just tryna scare me!" Brayden yelled, making a face. Part of him, however, wondered if she was right...

"That's not something I do." Melody told him. She sighed. "I'm only warning you. I don't think you're like them - I don't think you're a bully. And, well, bullies suck." Brayden stared at her for a bit. She walked away, biting her lip. He went to the bathroom and thought about what she said. She's tricking me, he thought. She's the teacher's pet.

Brayden went back to the others. They were trash-talking him.

"Brayden is a loser, though," one boy scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"He told me he had a girlfriend in his old school." some girl giggled, blushing.

"HEY!" Brayden stormed over. "FAYE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"Oh yeah, she is," the girl protested. "You're always talkin' bout her." The kids giggled. Brayden frowned. He hadn't seen Faye for ages. She'd left his old school ages ago and he never found out why. He missed her. She was really nice.

"Eh, don't worry, new boy," the biggest boy laughed. "Look, we still think you're cool. But we really wanna see what you're made of." He grinned. Brayden looked up.

"Challenge, huh?" he asked, cracking his knuckles. He didn't back down from a challenge. And he liked proving himself.

"Beat that girl up," the boy pointed at some girl wearing a hoodie. Her face was hidden. She was sitting by herself on the grass. "Give her a bad time. Then you'll be really cool!"

"Cool!? On it!" Brayden yelled, racing over to the girl. He glared at her. "HEY! YOU!" She didn't respond. "Look at me!" She looked at him with grey eyes. She looked really sad. Brayden almost flinched. He got a bad feeling from this. "I'm gonna beat the heck outta you!"

"Sure, okay." she said. She sounded like she'd given up on everything. Brayden almost felt bad for her. He didn't really want to hurt her. She looked so sad. But what about his friends? He wanted to be 'cool', just like them. He scowled.

"I will not back down!" he yelled. He clenched his gloved fists. The girl didn't looked scared at all. She just sat there, almost smiling. It was weird. People usually ran away or fought back. She wasn't doing anything. Brayden didn't like that very much. This felt so wrong. Brayden looked back at his 'friends'. They were giving him encouraging grins. He looked back at the girl. She still looked so... down.

"NO!" Brayden yelled at himself. "I'M GONNA DO THIS!" He finally managed to punch the girl in the chest. He felt really awful after it, like he'd just killed someone. Why did he feel like this? He hated it so much. The girl didn't have anything to say about it. Brayden pushed her onto the ground as one final act of... he didn't know anymore.

"Hey," Brayden said. He stared at the girl. She was just sitting there. Almost like Faye.

"Everyone hates me," she said dreamily. "I get it."

"I don't hate you!" Brayden argued. "I was tryna be cool like my friends!" She didn't reply. "Fight back next time, okay?! DOING NOTHING ISN'T HOW YOU FIGHT!" He walked off. That was the last time he saw her.

Brayden gritted his teeth. He paused because he really hated the next part. The genderless kid gave him a small smile. Brayden punched the snow again. He smiled back.

The girl whose name was Sam was seriously depressed. The bullies had been picking on her because she came from a rich family. They were jealous. It was getting too much for her. She gave up on herself. Brayden was the last straw. After school, she went home, got her dad's gun and shot herself in the head.

"... what happened when I found out?" Brayden asked, eyeing the genderless kid. He clenched his fists. "I was so MAD! I STILL AM! I..." He frowned. "I..." He tried not to cry.

"You're all just a bunch of cowards!" Brayden yelled at the bullies. "Melody was right! Cause of YOU, SHE'S DEAD! YOU ALL SUCK!"

"You beat her up," the girl protested, shrugging. "If you hadn't done that..."

"I SAID SORRY TO HER FAMILY!" Brayden grumbled. "I SHOULD'VE BEAT YOU ALL UP! SAM NEVER DID ANYTHING TO YOU! COWARDS!" He stormed off. He struggled to find friends after that. Everyone seemed... wary of him.

"And my dad was so mean," Brayden grumbled. "He said I should climb up this flipping mountain. And... I... I WANTED TO!" He laughed. And definitely not in a good way. "Then... Melody showed up."

"You ditched them," Melody said, sitting next to Brayden one lunchtime. "You did the right thing."

"She's dead," Brayden groaned. "I don't want people to die cause of me! Dad's right... I suck... I don't deserve any friends."

"Not true," Melody replied. She stood up, smiling. "How about you play with Percy and me?"

"And that's how we became friends." Brayden concluded. The eighth human clapped with tears in their closed eyes. They started crying a little. "Thanks. I'm still mad about it, so... y'know... I try to stop bullying these days. So, hey, don't try to kill yourself, okay?! I don't want you to die, cause... you're my friend. And, well... I, um... I care about..."

He sighed. The eighth human wasn't that bad. They weren't an enemy. They were just a smart, kind, brave and genderless child trying to help. Brayden hoped he could be more like them... aside from the genderless thing of course. He liked being a boy.

"SO MUCH TALKING! GAHH!" He stared at the eighth human. "Well, that was all about me. What's your deal? How about that nightmare you had?"

The eighth human shivered like they were seeing something. They shook their head and stood up. For once, they looked cold. Or even worse. They gave Brayden a sad expression.

"OH COME ON! YOU CAN TELL ME ONE THING!" Brayden spat, going up to them. They walked away. "HEY! I WON'T TELL ANYONE! I PROMISE!" He nagged them all the way back to Sans and Papyrus' house. He just didn't want anymore people to die, especially them. He knew in the end he had to be brave for others, like they were. And dang, he was going to try.

When they both returned to the house, Brayden and the eighth human flopped onto the bed. Brayden fell asleep instantly, hugging both Faye and the eighth human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter didn't offend anyone.
> 
> I want to apologise about the suicide part as I feel it might offend some people. :/ But I do understand feeling suicidal. I've been depressed most of my life and I've had some dark thoughts. I've never attempted suicide but I have committed self-harm before. A lot of my friends are also depressed, online and in real life.
> 
> I'm not really someone to turn to for support. I don't think I'm much good at really supporting anybody :/ I realised this recently and I don't feel great about it. However, there is a ton of support and people you can talk to if you're feeling depressed. I'm just here to try to make you smile, because I'm better at that than anything. If you are feeling this way, let me know and I'll write you a story or draw you a picture. It's the least I can do.
> 
> In the end, you don't have to be alone, even if you think you can do it yourself. Sometimes you do need help. Trust me, I know the feeling of being lonely extremely well. I know what it's like to feel like you're the only one. I do. I feel this way all the time. Even talking to other people who have Asperger's doesn't help. I'm different from them. So just try to help yourself. And if you can't? At least help others. This is all the advice I can give you.


	11. Grillby's

~Melody~

In the morning, Sans took the kids to this diner called Grillby's. Melody quite liked Snowdin, even if it was a little cold. She didn't like Sans and Papyrus at first, and even now she had mixed feelings. Strangely, they almost reminded her of Brayden and Faye. Brayden was loud and annoying, like Papyrus, but he was actually a pretty nice guy. Faye told bad jokes sometimes, like Sans, yet she was also nice. It was funny.

In the morning, the kids had found Brayden sleep-hugging Faye and the eighth human. Brayden was really embarrassed about it when he woke up. Melody thought it was adorable. Like everyone else, she shipped Fayeden. But she liked them both individually as well. Brayden was a pain in the butt sometimes. Melody wouldn't have become friends with him if his mom didn't ask him to. But she didn't regret it. He wasn't such a bad kid. Pretty nice when you got to know him.

Faye, on the other hand, was quiet, easy-going, and a lot more observant than she looked. Melody hadn't become friends with her until she and Brayden became friends. She was surprised when she learned Faye and Brayden were best friends, but they got on surprisingly well for being so different. Melody found Faye was a little too easy-going sometimes, but other than that, she was a good listener and overall a good friend. Sort of like Toriel.

Melody missed Toriel, too. Of course, Melody had her real mom, but Toriel was much more understanding. Melody's mom was just... selfish and a suck-up to her husband. Melody's dad was different. He had a lot of integrity and responsibility. He was quite a father to look up to, if Melody was honest. Even if he and her mother were art-obsessed. At least her brother wasn't like that, even if he was a goofy dork.

Melody followed the rest of the gang to Grillby's. It was a typical wooden diner with lots of tables, customers and orange lights. Melody's parents would never want her to go to a diner. 'Too old-fashioned', they'd say. And Melody listened. But this diner was different. Cody looked excited about the food. Ah, yes, Cody and Clover. Melody found Cody rather friendly. Like Faye, he seemed to be easygoing and kind. But there were differences. Faye was more mischievous and waited for her opportunities. Cody didn't always wait. He just tried to grab them without hurting anybody. And he cared about everything and everyone.

Clover was different. Melody found her almost as annoying as Brayden. She was obsessed with silly cowboy nonsense and policemen. She was stubborn and over-protective. And she could be very rude (and, well, boyish). But, in the end, Melody did not hate her. Clover wasn't awful either. She was nice to anyone who was her friend, even Melody. Then there was the eighth human.

They were the strangest kid Melody had ever met. They had weird powers, they were determined, they were amazing at everything (including dancing), they never spoke yet you could understand them, they could see with their eyes closed, they were either extremely brave or dead-stupid, they knew everything and they did some weird things. Melody wondered if they were really human. But then again, no one knew anything about them. They seemed to be friendly, so Melody trusted them. For now.

Percy stood near Melody, adjusting his glasses. He looked uncomfortable in this diner. Melody could tell. Percy was tense. Melody knew Percy stupidly well. They'd known each other since they were babies. They weren't just best friends, they were family friends. Almost siblings. Percy was currently staying at Melody's while his parents were away on a research expedition. But Percy came over to Melody's so often he practically lived there.

Percy, like Melody, used reason and logic. He was smart. Melody, if she was honest, was smart too. Hanging around Percy had taught her about a lot of things. Though Percy was terrible with people. For a long time, Melody was his only friend. It wasn't vice-versa. Melody had friends from her dance group and she was friends with some of her brother's friends. But Percy only had Melody. Melody took pity on him and played with him most of the time rather than the others.

"hey everyone," Sans greeted. Everyone in the bar looked at him: Dogamy and Dogaressa, Greater Dog, Lesser Dog, Doggo, some weird monster that had a huge mouth, a bunny thing, a bird monster, a fish monster and a fire entity wearing a fancy suit. Melody wasn't sure about that one with the huge mouth. It looked kind of dodgy.

"Hi!" Cody waved at the random monsters. He stopped when Clover stared at him.

"Where are we gonna sit?" Clover asked. That was a good point. Suddenly, the eighth human had an idea. They walked over to the table with Greater Dog, Lesser Dog and the dog couple. They held up their stick and waved it like a flag.

"STICK!" the dogs screamed together. The eighth human almost expressed something. They turned and fled, the dogs chasing after them. They gave everyone a thumbs up while they were leaving.

"welp, we've got a seat now." Sans commented, sitting down at the table.

"Whoa!" Brayden admired, staring at where the eighth human was a few moments ago.

"That was pretty cool." Clover agreed. She frowned. "Are they gonna be alright?"

"They're the stick kid, they'll be fine!" Brayden told her, grinning.

"I'm still a little worried..." Cody admitted, gazing at the exit. Even Melody was slightly worried. That kid was freaky, but it was surprisingly easy to like them and care about them.

"I think they'll be okay," Faye commented. "They've had sticky problems before." Everyone groaned.

"nice one, faye," Sans winked. "you're quite the pun master. you've got a skele-ton of puns inside that skull of yours."

"Thanks, Sans," Faye replied. She smiled. "Though you can be a bit of a bonehead, your puns are pretty sans-sational too." Everyone groaned again.

"CAN WE STOP THE PUNS NOW!?" Brayden asked, pulling his hair.

"Sounds like you've got a bone to pick with, Brayden." Clover commented. She high-fived Faye and Sans. Brayden yelled something and banged his head on the table.

"Brayden! You can't yell in a public place!" Melody told him off. She was a little obsessed with manners. He looked like he wanted to beat her up.

"anyway, you kids wanna order?" Sans asked.

"We should wait for the stick kid to come back." Faye said quietly.

"Nahh! I'm hungry!" Brayden whined, folding his arms.

"It would be rude of us to eat without them." Melody pointed out, raising her brow. She snorted at all the hot air. It was so warm and sticky in here and she didn't like it very much.

"According to my book on manners, yes, yes it would." Percy agreed.

"There's a book on manners?!" Brayden asked, staring at him. Percy nodded. Speak of the devil, the eighth human returned, covered in snow. They wiped some off their face and sat down next to Cody and Clover. A snow beret was on their head. There was a tuft of dog fur in their hair.

"Howdy, pardner," Clover greeted. "You okay?" The stick kid nodded. Cody patted their shoulder.

"What'd you do with the dogs?" Faye asked them. "Also, I like your hat." The eighth human held up their stick and made some gestures. Faye nodded intriguingly.

"That's technically a beret." Percy pointed out, gazing at Faye.

"wow," Sans commented, staring at the eighth human. "that's awesome, kiddo. anyway, you kids wanna order now?" The kids nodded. "alrighty. whaddy'all want? burgers or fries?"

"BURGER!" Brayden yelled. Melody glared at him. She hated it when he did that.

"One for me too." Clover said. She looked relaxed enough. Funny, since Melody noticed she was usually always on guard.

"I'll have fries." Percy said, looking up from his notes.

"I'll have a burger," Cody said. He smiled. "Though I'd like fries too - I'd like to try all of Mr. Grillby's food!"

"Is there anything thing else other than burgers and fries at this silly diner?" Melody asked. She scoffed. "Grease is disgusting." It was true. Fast food disgusted her.

"you could always have some condiments, melody," Sans said, holding out a bottle of ketchup. "or, y'know, sit here and breathe in some oxygen." The others giggled at this.

"I'll have fries." Melody sighed.

"I'll have fries too, please." Faye said, smiling at Sans. The genderless kid pointed at Clover, Brayden and Cody.

"four burgers and four serves of fries," Sans said. "hey, they all sound pretty good. i think i'm in a fries mood today. i'll go get our food." He walked off to the bar that had the fire dude.

"He owned you so hard, Mel!" Brayden laughed, banging a fist on the table.

"He got you pretty good, pardner." Clover agreed, smirking. Melody frowned.

"It's just a silly diner," she commented. "And, besides, what kind of diner only has two menu options? Absolutely ridiculous if you ask me." Everyone laughed. Melody rolled her eyes.

"Melody has a point," Percy spoke up. "Most diners don't have only two menu options. Sans was most likely not revealing anything else on the menu. Why? I'm trying to figure that out."

"Who cares?!" Brayden asked, folding his arms behind his head. "Food is food!"

Sans came back. He sat down in his chair. "alright, all ordered. so..." He made a face. "what do you kids think of my brother?"

"He's pretty cool!" Brayden answered.

"Nice enough." Clover said, folding her arms.

"He's a really nice and cool guy!" Cody answered.

"Interesting for a living skeleton." Percy said, observing his notes.

"He's like snow," Faye answered. She grinned. "Because he's pretty cool." Everyone groaned. Theeighth human gave Sans a thumbs up.

"He's kind of annoying, honestly," Melody answered, raising her brow. "Yes, he is nice, but he's painfully loud, and well, stupid." Sans didn't look happy about that.

"Melody!" Cody gasped. "That's so mean!"

"yeah, melody," Sans agreed. He sounded jokey, yet a little upset. "sarcasm isn't funny."

Melody frowned. "I wasn't being-" The eighth human covered her mouth. They shook their head at her. Melody removed their hand and scoffed. What was so wrong with expressing her honest opinion?

"my brother's a real star," Sans told them. "he's the person who pushed me to get this sentry job. maybe it's a little strange, but sometimes... it's nice to have someone call you out on being lazy. even though nothing could be further from the truth."

"What do you mean by that?" Percy asked, looking up.

"here comes the grub." Sans said. Grillby came over, carrying nine plates of greasy food. The fire entity placed them down in front of the kids. "you kids want ketchup?"

"NOPE!" Brayden yelled. He was already tucking in. The eighth humanwas shaking their head at the ketchup. Clearly they were giving the condiment a big no no.

"no?" Sans asked. He shrugged. "more for me, then." He chugged the ketchup straight from the bottle.

"Eww." Melody commented. No one drank ketchup like that. [A/N: I did once...]

"Just eat your food, Melody." Clover sighed. Melody hesitantly picked up a fry. It was golden and covered in hot frying oil. Grease. Gross.

"Ughh," Melody groaned. Everyone else was eating.

"THIS IS AMAZING!" Brayden yelled, looking up from his burger. Melody frowned at his lack of manners.

"It's really greasy, but great at the same time!" Cody exclaimed. "I'll have to ask about the recipe."

"Pretty darn swell." Clover agreed.

"Very nice." Faye said, holding a fry. The eighth humanhad taken a small bite out of their burger. They looked full. It looked like they had done it out of courtesy rather than anything. Brayden burped immaturely and rather loudly.

"Brayden!" Melody groaned. She hated bad manners. Brayden burst into laughter. Clover burped too. She and Brayden laughed really hard.

"Oh my goodness!" Melody yelled, glaring at the two.

"Melody, no yelling in public." Clover told Melody, smirking. Brayden laughed even more. Melody frowned and looked away, quite done with these immature children. Meanwhile, Percy was reading notes about something. He hadn't eaten his food, like Melody.

"percy and melody, are you guys gonna eat?" Sans asked.

"I might after I finish this." Percy mumbled. He was fascinated by his notes. "I'm close to a breakthrough."

"I, um, think you guys should probably eat..." Cody mumbled quietly. "If you want, you can have my burger and-"

"No," Melody said. She frowned. "I just don't like grease, okay? And those two ruined my appetite!" She glared at Clover and Brayden. They giggled. The eighth human offered her a Nice Cream. "No, thank you. That's yours. I'll have a chip." She finally ate a chip. It was so good and so bad at the same time. Everyone cheered. "Oh for goodness sake, all I did was eat some food!" But she found herself smiling.

"heh heh," Sans chuckled. "anyway, cool or not, you have to agree papyrus tries real hard. like how he keeps trying to be part of the royal guard."

"He said somethin' 'bout that thing," Clover said, brow raised. "What is the Royal Guard?"

"a group of monsters who hunt humans and protect the underground and king," Sans answered. "yeah, so, one night my bro went to the leader of the royal guard's house and begged her to let him join. though, she shut the door on him since it was midnight."

"Who tries to book an appointment in the middle of the night?" Melody asked. Monsters were weird.

"obviously people who have a sense of determination," Sans answered. Melody snorted. She hated it when she got owned. "anyway, the next day the leader woke and saw him still there. admiring his dedication, she agreed to give him warrior training. it's, uh, still a work in progress." He shrugged.

"Well, I'm happy for your brother!" Cody told Sans, sounding cheerful as always.

"I want warrior training." Brayden commented, looking up. "Then I could do some crazy punches!" He stared at Percy's chips. "You gonna eat those, Nerd Boy?"

"Oh," Percy frowned. "You can have them." Brayden grinned and took them.

"Oh, Percy, you really should eat more. Brayden can't have all your food." Melody told her best friend. He had some weird habits. Melody worried about him sometimes. He could be more problematic than Brayden.

"Aww, why not?" Brayden asked, looking disappointed. He started being silly and putting the chips in his mouth and pretending they were teeth. Some of the kids started giggling. [A/N: I do that too what-]

"Don't do that!" Melody told him off. That boy drove her insane sometimes. Brayden blew a raspberry at her.

"Yeah, Percy," Cody agreed. "I can make you something." The eighth humanoffered him their burger. They hadn't eaten much either. Percy politely refused all the food.

"hey, kids, i gotta ask you something," Sans spoke again. The scene went dark and time seemed to stop. "have any of you ever heard of a talking flower?" The kids gazed at each other. They were obviously all thinking the same thing.

"The Echo Flower?" Percy asked. "I read about those flowers in a book."

"spot on," Sans replied. The kids stared at Percy with a seriously? look. Melody, honestly, was thinking of Flowey. Like everyone else, she didn't like that flower too much. "the echo flower. they're all over the marsh. they copy whatever you say and repeat it over and over again... what about it?"

"Fascinating," Percy replied. "I've never heard of anything like it."

"yeah," Sans said. He made a face. "well, the other day, papyrus told me something interesting. he said sometimes when he's alone, a flower appears and whispers things to him. flattery... advice... encouragement... weird, huh? someone must be using an echo flower to play a trick on him."

"I dunno 'bout that, pardner," Clover retorted. "My friends and I ran into a talking flower named Flowey who tried to kill us." She shivered.

"HE SUCKED!" Brayden yelled.

"Not nice at all." Melody agreed, frowning. "Also, don't yell, Brayden." Brayden glared at her.

"wow, really?" Sans asked. "doesn't sound like something a flower would do." The darkness disappeared. It was light and cheerful again in Grillby's. Sans stood up. "welp, id better be off. i can't believe i let you kids pull me away from work for so long."

"Hey! You took us out here!" Brayden snapped. Clover nodded.

"also, can you kids foot the bill?" Sans asked. "it's only 10000g."

"No one has that much money, dude!" Melody groaned.

"im just messing with you," Sans chuckled. "grillby, put it on my tab. you need to learn how to take a joke, melody. you look a little blue." Everyone laughed. Melody blushed.

"Oh, get out of here!" she yelled at Sans. Honestly, people like that drove her crazy.

"alright, alright," Sans said, walking over to the exit. He turned around. "oh yeah, i was gonna say something... but i forgot. melody distracted me." Then he left.

"Oh come on, that's not true!" Melody protested. She glared at Brayden who was sniggering.

"Let's get outta here, y'all," Clover said. She gazed at Percy. "Where next?"

"Waterfall," Percy replied, looking up.


	12. Undyne attacks!

~Melody~

Melody had to admit Waterfall was quite beautiful. It was blue with various waterfalls coming from the ceiling. A flowing river was beside the path. Small crystals were on the path, glimmering. If only it wasn't so wet. Water was getting in Melody's ballet slippers.

"Oh," Faye commented. "It's so pretty. I could stay here forever."

"Waterfall..." Percy mumbled. As usual, he was taking notes. "Water is commonly found in underground caverns. It is the cause of things such as erosion, stalagmites and stalactites."

"Stala-what?" Brayden asked, staring at Percy.

"Stalagmites and stalactites," Percy answered speedily. "Limestone is the chief form of calcium carbonate rock, which is dissolved by water that contains carbon dioxide, forming a calcium bicarbonate solution in underground caverns. If stalactites – the ceiling formations – grow long enough to connect with stalagmites on the floor, they form a column." The author totally didn't copy that from Wikipedia or anything. (Don't copy right claim me plz)

Brayden stared at Percy like he spoke a different language. Melody sighed.

"When water flows down through the ground and into a cave, it dissolves a mineral called calcite - a major building block of limestone - and carries it through cracks in the ceiling. The dripping water leaves behind traces of calcite, which slowly builds up on the ceiling until a stalactite takes shape, hanging down like an icicle," she explained. She spent way too much time with Percy. "Water from the end of the stalactite leaves more calcite in a pile on the cave floor, and pretty soon a cone-like stalagmite forms." She shook her head. These things were hard to explain. And yes, the author totally didn't copy that from the internet too.

"Ohhhh," Brayden said, nodding. He frowned. "Which one is the stalac... stalac... stalac thingy again?"

"The one that's on the ceiling," Melody sighed. "And it's 'stalactite'. Sta-lac-tite."

"THIS IS SO CONFUSING!" Brayden yelled. Melody groaned. Brayden could be frustrating.

"Hey guys, Sans is up here!" Cody chirped. He, Clover and the eighth human were ahead. They were in a little area. There was a sentry station which Sans was running. A waterfall was on the ground. A funny-looking blue flower was by the wall, a monster standing beside it.

"An echo flower." Percy observed the flower. Cody, Faye, Percy and Clover went to speak to Sans. Melody found the eighth human hanging with Brayden. They were writing 'stalagmites and stalactites' and drawing pictures of said things on the ground with their stick.

"Ohh," Brayden observed the diagram. "So... stalactites are the ones on the ceiling and stalagmites are the ones on the ground?" The eighth human nodded. "YEAH! THAT'S THE STUFF!" That was funny. Brayden was glaring a lot at that kid yesterday. Now they seemed to be good old friends. Melody understood why Brayden would be jealous of them. Even she was a little envious of them. They were very talented. But now he was acting... different. She'd have to ask.

After the other four were done talking to Sans, the group continued. They found another box (still full of notes and spider donuts), then a rushing waterfall on their path. Rocks were flowing down the waterfall.

"It's based on timing," Percy observed the rocks. "And, well, simply, not getting hit." The genderless kid jumped into the water. Brayden jumped in after them, narrowly avoiding a rock.

"Brayden! Be careful!" Melody yelled, also climbing in. She cringed at all the water drenching her tutu.

"WHOO!" Brayden yelled. He splashed Melody with some water.

"OH COME ON!" Melody yelled. "Now my hair's all wet!" Brayden splashed some of the others as well. Percy ran away, trying to avoid that nonsense.

"You'll pay for that, pardner." Clover growled. She splashed some water back at Brayden.

"Um, guys, we're meant to be avoiding the rocks." Cody spoke up. Brayden almost got hit again. The eighth human came back and dragged everyone along with them. They arrived on the other side of the waterfall.

"Hey, we should call Papyrus," Cody suggested. He looked shy. "I mean, if you guys want to. I just think it would be nice talking to him."

"You can, I'm not." Melody said. She walked away from Cody, Faye and anyone else who wanted to call Papyrus. Believe it or not, the eighth human wasn't interested. And they were the one who flirted with Papyrus. Melody stood next to them.

"You and Brayden are getting on well," she told them. "He was jealous of you yesterday. What'd you do to...?" They non-verbally said something. "Oh, that's very cute." She frowned. "You know, you're very dangerous. My parents would never let me be friends with someone like you. But you're a great dancer. Really, you'll have to show me some of those techniques." The eighth human shrugged.

"Yo!" the monster kid from Snowdin approached them. "Are you sneaking out to see her, too? Awesome, right?! I wanna be just like her when I grow up..."

"Who?" Melody asked.

"Undyne, duh!" Monster Kid answered, laughing.

"I don't know anything about her," Melody replied, raising her brow. "Apart from that she's in the Royal Guard."

"Wow, you're really missing out!" Monster Kid laughed. "Also, please don't tell my parents I'm here."

"My parents!" Melody exclaimed. "Oh, they'll be so worried about all of us." She almost started crying. She really missed her parents, even though they were art-obsessed. And ever so slightly neglectful.

"He didn't pick up..." Cody said, looking disappointed. Clover patted his shoulder.

"We'll call him later." she told him. Monster Kid approached the other kids and asked them about Undyne.

"She sounds so COOL!" Brayden yelled.

"I kinda wanna meet her myself." Clover agreed. The kids went forward again. They came to a spacious area with a patch of seagrass. The children were all covered in shadows. They looked kind of scary.

"What's the deal with-" Clover was interrupted by the eighth human. They led everyone into the seagrass and put a finger to their lips. They looked very serious. To the north of the seagrass was a monster wearing heavy, silver armour. A flock of red hair was coming out of her helm. She wasn't facing the kids. Papyrus, covered in shadows and looking nervous, approached the armoured monster.

"It's Papyrus!" Cody whispered. The eighth human shushed him.

"H... HI UNDYNE!" Papyrus greeted, staring at the armoured monster. "I'M HERE WITH MY DAILY REPORT..."

"So that's Undyne." Clover observed curiously.

"She's wearing a lot of armour," Melody added. "That'd be hard to walk around in, eugh." The eighth human shushed Clover and Melody.

"She smells like fish! Eww!" Brayden commented, looking disgusted. The eighth human shushed him too.

"UHH... REGARDING THOSE HUMANS I CALLED YOU ABOUT EARLIER..." Papyrus continued. Undyne faced him. "... HUH? DID I FIGHT THEM?" He paused.

"Poor Papyrus." Cody whispered. He stared at the eighth human. "I know, I'm sorry..."

"What type of monster is she?" Percy asked. The eighth human looked frustrated. Melody could relate. Annoying people were annoying.

"Y-YES! OF COURSE I DID!" Papyrus replied, trying to look confident. "I FOUGHT THEM VALIANTLY!" Undyne asked him something else. "... WHAT? DID I CAPTURE THEM? I TRIED VERY HARD, UNDYNE, BUT IN THE END..." He looked both anxious and upset. "I FAILED." Undyne stared at him. "WHAT? YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THE HUMANS' SOULS YOURSELF..."

"Oh no, that doesn't fly." Clover growled. The eighth human held her back.

"Yeah!" Brayden agreed. "Stupid smelly fish lady! You won't get past ME!" The eighth human covered his mouth.

"BUT UNDYNE, YOU DON'T H-HAVE TO DESTROY THEM!" Papyrus pleaded. He approached Undyne. "YOU SEE... YOU SEE..." She stared at him. He took a few steps back. "I UNDERSTAND. I'LL HELP YOU IN ANY WAY I CAN." He left. Undyne stood there dauntingly.

"YOU WANNA GO, FISH-BREATH!?" Brayden leaped out of the seagrass. The eighth human pulled him back in. Melody glared at him. Undyne pulled out a blue spear. She looked left and right, yet still glaring at the children.

"Don't take one more step." Clover warned. She held up her pistol.

"YEAH! OR YOUR, ER, SCALES WILL MEET MY FISTS!" Brayden yelled, making those fist gestures. Undyne's spear vaporised. She walked backwards, disappearing into the darkness. "YEAH, RUN COWARD!"

"You are so annoying." Melody told Brayden, giving him a look. The eighth human gestured for the others to follow them out of the seagrass. They did so.

"... and that's why she's so cool!" Monster Kid was walking alongside Faye. Apparently she'd found the monster child hiding in the seagrass and started talking to them. Monster Kid gazed at the other kids. "Yo... did you guys see the way she was staring at you all...? That... was AWESOME! I'm SOO jealous! Wow, it almost looked like she was going to attack you, ha ha."

"I think she was, pardner." Clover told Monster Kid.

"Why would she attack random kids?" Monster Kid asked. They laughed. "She'd never hurt an innocent person. C'mon! Let's go watch her beat up some bad guys!" They ran off, but fell over and landed flat on their face.

"Are you okay?" Cody asked, staring at them with concern.

"I'm okay!" Monster Kid responded, getting up and racing off. Melody thought they were funny a child, sort of like the eighth human.

The kids arrived at the next area. There was a rushing river that was in the way. The kids had to use pretty flowers called Bridge Seeds to help them out.

"When they align in the water, they will sprout." Percy read a sign on the wall, taking notes. The eighth human walked over to the flowers. They put one on their head (their hands were too small to carry something that big) and put it in the water.

"I'll help!" Cody cheered, racing over to them. His sister and Brayden pitched in too. Melody sighed. She gazed at Percy, who gazed back. Faye was sitting on the ground. She was observing the crystals in the wall.

"Isn't this place so pretty?" Faye asked, fascinated.

"It's much more similar to a cavern than Snowdin." Percy commented. He was observing his notes.

"Oh, Percy," Melody stared at him. "You really should play with us a little more. I know you don't like it, but, well... no one wants you to miss out."

"I like missing out." Percy replied, sounding emotionless. "Also, Melody, I saw this book in the Snowdin Library you may like." He handed her a book about the art of monsters. "It's all about monster entertainment."

"Wow," Melody replied. She observed the book. It looked pretty good. That was her and Percy's friendship. They were both serious and they shared some common interests. Percy wasn't caught up in his emotions. Melody respected that. And most of the time, they tolerated each other more than anyone else. Best friends forever.

"BRING IT ON!" Brayden yelled from ahead. Melody, Percy and Faye ran over to the other four. They were in battle with a monster named Aaron - a muscular seahorse (literally). I mean, a horse with abs and a mermaid tail. Brayden and Aaron were having a flexing contest. The eighth human was flexing too.

"Flexing contest?" Aaron asked, sounding arrogant. "OK, flex more ;)"

"I'LL FLEX SO HARD YOU WON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT FLEX MEANS!" Brayden yelled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Melody asked, staring at him. She gave him that mom-stare with her blue eyes. Oh, yes, she had deep blue eyes. Some people said they were intimidating, some said they were pretty, others said they were weird. Her dad had the blue eyes too. To him, they were striking. He once said, 'a sense of integrity'. Integrity. That was Melody's soul trait. In her opinion, it fitted perfectly. Even if she had to ask Percy what integrity meant.

"I DUNNO, IS HE SCARED YET!?" Brayden replied. Melody face-palmed. Aaron attacked the kids with his biceps, which sounds weird. But he did. The eighth human, as usual, was protecting everybody. They and Brayden flexed at Aaron again.

"Nice!" Aaron complimented. "I won't lose, tho ;)" Again, he attacked the children with his biceps.

"It's so sweaty." Melody complained. Aaron was getting his perspiration everywhere. It was pretty gross. Brayden and the eighth human flexed with him one last time. Finally, the battle was over. Melody was very relieved. That battle was too sweaty.

Ahead was another Bridge Seed puzzle. The bridge seeds were on a patch of land in between two lakes. One lake had the path where the kids could continue. But the eighth human didn't go there. They went to the lake at the bottom, which led somewhere else. The kids copied them. They walked across the Bridge Seeds, coming to a small room with a park bench. Next to it was an echo flower.

"What's that, pardner?" Clover asked. The kids surrounded the eighth human. They were looking under the park bench. They found an Abandoned Quiche.

"A quiche!" Cody observed.

"Eww! That's probably been under there for ages!" Melody scoffed, clearly repulsed.

"Poor quiche, someone left it here all alone..." Faye said sadly.

"It appears to be a psychologically-damaged spinach egg pie." Percy said, checking the quiche out.

"Can I have it?" Brayden asked, eagerly staring at the quiche.

"Brayden no!" Melody exclaimed. She didn't want him to eat old food. The eighth human gave her a hey, it's okay, look. They'd been right before. Melody sighed. She knew she could trust them.

"I think it needs therapy..." Faye commented.

"It's food, Faye." Melody said, staring at Faye.

"I know," Faye replied. She sounded serious. "Whoever left it here just wasn't ready for the responsibility." The kids left after that. They returned to the main area. Percy observed the flowers.

"Oh," he said. "I know how to solve this." The eighth human was ahead of him. "Oh. They do too." He looked almost disappointed. Melody patted his shoulder. She knew puzzles were one of the only things he enjoyed doing (aside from watching and reading stuff). As usual, Cody, Clover and Brayden helped out. The kids crossed the lake using the Bridge Seeds. There was a wooden entrance continuing the path. Suddenly, the kids got a phone call. Percy put the phone on speaker and held it in the air.

"Toriel?" Faye asked hopefully.

"HELLO! THIS IS PAPYRUS!" Papyrus' voice rang out. Melody groaned. Faye looked slightly disappointed.

"Hi, Papyrus!" Cody greeted brightly.

"How'd you get this number, Papyrus?" Clover asked. "I don't think we ever gave your our number."

"HOW DID I GET THIS NUMBER...?" Papyrus mused. He sounded cheerful. "I JUST DIALED EVERY NUMBER SEQUENTIALLY UNTIL I GOT YOURS! NYEH HEH HEH HEH!"

"Makes sense." Clover said, shrugging.

"Hey, Pap," Brayden spoke up. "We saw you talkin' to UNDYNE! SHE SMELLS LIKE FISH! ALSO, WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!? ARE YOU OUT TO KILL US?"

"He's got a point, Papyrus," Melody agreed. She was now pitching in on the phone call. "What was that all about?"

"YOU SAW THAT!?" Papyrus asked. He sounded embarrassed. "HOW EMBARRASSING! I AM SO SORRY YOU HUMANS HAD TO WITNESS THAT! THAT WAS NOT MY GREATEST MOMENT. NO, I AM NOT OUT TO KILL YOU. YOU ARE MY FRIENDS! BUT MY BOSS, UNDYNE..." He faltered. He changed the subject. "ERM... WHAT ARE YOU HUMANS WEARING? I'M... ASKING FOR A FRIEND."

"Undyne?" Clover asked suspiciously. "What's goin' on, Papyrus?"

"ERR..." Papyrus sounded anxious. Melody raised her brow. Although she wasn't the biggest fan of Papyrus and Sans, she didn't hate them. And she almost felt concerned for Papyrus. "I... I'M SORRY. I DON'T THINK I CAN TELL YOU." The eighth human took the phone. Their brown hair was covering their face. They were turned away from the others. "OH? IS THIS THE RED HUMAN...? HELLO! ... AH, OKAY.... YES, I SEE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

The kids stared at each other. That red kid was so weird.

"HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!" Papyrus hung up. The red kid gave the phone back to Percy.

"Okay, you can talk to people on the phone without talking?!" Brayden asked, staring at the eighth human. He looked freaked out. "HOW DOES THAT WORK!?" The eighth human shrugged. They continued walking.

"That kid just gets weirder and weirder..." Clover commented, biting her lip.

"There's something off about all of this," Percy said, looking over his notes. "Them. Us. Something's not right."

"What's not right, Perce?" Brayden asked, staring at Percy.

"Yes, Percy," Melody said, looking at Percy. Somehow she agreed with him. "What's not right?"

Percy hesitated. Everyone was looking at him. "I don't know. I... I don't know if I can explain..." He turned away. He was shivering. Melody frowned. This was when Percy couldn't take it anymore. Melody had been there when he had been overwhelmed once. It wasn't pretty.

"That's enough, everyone," she said, walking over to her best friend. "We'd better go on."

The next area was a stretched out cavern full of echo flowers, shimmering, blue roofs and a telescope. The eighth human was waiting for the others.

"Wow..." Faye looked starstruck. "It's so pretty." Melody couldn't say she was wrong.

"A long time ago, monsters would whisper their wishes to the stars in the sky," an echo flower whispered. "If you hoped with all your heart, your wish would come true. Now, all we have are these sparkling stones on the ceiling..."

"Aww..." Cody said, almost bursting into tears.

"Stars are flaming balls of gas," Percy commented. "How could they make someone's wish come true?"

"Maybe you just have to 'believe', Percy," Melody replied. She didn't believe in magic either, but she did believe in hope. Percy didn't reply.

"Thousands of people wishing together can't be wrong!" another flower exclaimed. "The king will prove that. And the Fallen Angel..." The Fallen Angel. The one the bunny lady in Snowdin talked about. Melody remembered. Some human had fell down here long ago. They died heroically in some battle with other humans, but before they died, they promised they would rise again and destroy the barrier. Melody wondered if she would see them.

Suddenly, the children encountered Woshua. It was a small, funny looking monster that was full of water. It looked like a cup. It had one circle for a head, two clawed feet and a little bird swimming in its water. Woshua shuffles up. This humble germophobe seeks to cleanse the whole world.

"I'd like to be cleaned." Faye said quietly.

"Yes, I haven't washed for ages," Melody agreed. She snorted. "How irresponsible!"

"Green means clean." Woshua said. Bubbles of soap flew towards the kids. The eighth human was pointing at the green ones, but pointing away from the white ones. One white one flew towards Melody. The eighth human shoved her out of the way.

"Thank you," she told them. "You are so very good at this. How did you...?" They were racing off to protect other kids. Melody sighed. She reached out and touched a green bubble. Immediately, a warm, friendly sensation filled her body. Her HP was full again. Soon, the attack was over. The eighth human spared Woshua. The battle concluded. After that, they were checking out a telescope. Everyone else joined in.

"Check wall." Percy read. Brayden ran over to the wall.

"DO SOMETHING!" he yelled at the wall. The eighth human came over. A doorway opened. "YEAH THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!" He raced in.

"Oh, Brayden!" Melody complained. She went in after him. The next area was on a bridge. Dark water was flowing around underneath it. Water sausages were sitting in the water. Ancient writing was on the walls. Percy was obviously interested.

"It's about the war," he said. "'The War of Humans and Monsters'." He read another sign on the wall. "Why did the humans attack? Indeed, it seemed that they had nothing to fear. Humans are unbelievably strong. It would take the SOUL of nearly every monster... just to equal the power of a single human SOUL."

"Wow!" Cody exclaimed.

"What were humans afraid of?" Clover asked, looking interested.

"WHO CARES!? HISTORY IS BOOORIINGG!" Brayden whined. He wanted to race off. The genderless kid didn't look too interested either. Melody glared at Brayden.

Percy continued, "But humans have one weakness. Ironically, it is the strength of their SOUL. Its power allows it to persist outside the human body, even after death."

"So that's where ghost stories come from..." Faye remarked.

"But why?" Clover asked. "Why did we do that to monsters?"

"If a monster defeats a human, they can take its SOUL," Percy read. "A monster with a human SOUL... A horrible beast with unfathomable power." He observed his notes. "It comes to one conclusion. The humans were afraid. They were afraid of the monsters' power."

"So," Melody looked thoughtful. "If one of us was killed by a monster, they could take our SOUL?"

"Yes," Percy replied. The eighth human looked a bit uncomfortable.

"NO ONE'S TAKING MY SOUL!" Brayden yelled. The eighth human looked even more uncomfortable.

"That's not gonna happen." Clover agreed, clutching her pistol. The eighth human hid their face. Melody wondered if they were okay. She walked over to them. They just shrugged at her.

At the end of the bridge was a platform. It could ride across the water to the other side. However, it could only fit one child at a time. Everyone had to take turns getting across. They arrived on another bridge. Shadows crawled down their bodies. The water sausages looked a little creepy. Stone pillars were on one side, concealing something.

"I've got a bad feeling about this..." Cody commented. The feeling in the air was eerie.

"COME OUT AND FIGHT ME, ANYONE OUT THERE!" Brayden yelled, looking around.

"This is so stupid." Melody commented. All of this was. Fighting. War. Falling underground. Melody just wanted to go home. She never asked to die. Suddenly, a bright spear came down from the sky. It would've impaled her if the eighth human hadn't pulled her back.

"Undyne." Percy breathed emotionlessly. The armour-wearing fish lady appeared, glowing spears beside her helm. Lots of them. The kids stared at each other.

This wasn't going to end well. The eighth human seemed to know what to do already. The others weren't so confident.

Melody ducked, dodging many of those spears. Somehow. Adrenaline made her heart race. She didn't feel good. She raced forward, gazing at her friends. Clover had a spear in her shoulder. It looked like she was trying to defend Cody. Brayden also had a spear in his shoulder. He was growling.

"We need to get around that bend," Percy said, standing nearby Melody. "We can make it." Just as he said that, Undyne threw more spears. One landed in Percy's arm. His glasses slipped to the edge of his nose. Melody got a glimpse of his purple eyes.

"P... Percy!" she exclaimed. She glared at Undyne. No one hurt her best friend. "You... you monster!"

Undyne was throwing more spears. One almost hit Faye. The eighth human turned around. They pulled everyone together and defended them all at once. They were getting a lot of spears in their body, but somehow they didn't look pained, even though their body was twitching. Their sweater was turning red.

"You really are brave, aren't you?" Melody asked, trying to wipe all the blood off Percy's sweater. She couldn't stop shaking. Everyone was getting hurt. The kids ran a little more, approaching some sea grass. The eighth human could barely move. They fell over, their body twitching. They were covered in glowing spears. It was a horrific sight.

"Oh no..." Cody looked horrified. He helped the eighth human stand up. Brayden shook his fist at Undyne. Melody observed the eighth human. They were still alive, like they were refusing death.

"Melody..." Percy spoke up. He was allowing her to help him stand, which was a rare sight. She led him into the sea grass. It concealed their bodies. Faye was in there too, shivering. Clover was clutching her pistol. Cody, Brayden and the eighth human joined them. Brayden went over to Faye and stood protectively beside her.

"Don't give up, Percy..." Melody mumbled, smiling at her best friend. Percy shook his head. He was anxious, strange and geeky, but Melody knew he was very determined. He never gave up. Spears flew overhead. The eighth human was covered in blood. Yet, somehow, they didn't look bothered at all. They didn't break a sweat. They were very determined too. Melody felt her eyes go watery. She hated this so much.

Suddenly, footsteps boomed behind them. Undyne was approaching. Her red hair was sticking up. Her armour shoved past the seagrass. Melody felt angry and upset. Why did everyone have to be so violent? There was no need to fight. Unless it was the right thing to do, of course. And right now, it wasn't that at all. Melody sniffled, supporting Percy. The eighth human, somehow, encouraged everyone to stay quiet. Melody had no idea how they hadn't dropped dead.

Melody felt something pulling her upwards. She looked up in horror and saw Undyne, her eyes glowing. She was so dead.


	13. Memory

~Melody~

Melody opened her eyes. The eighth human, despite being shaky, had managed to gather enough strength to pull her back. Melody sighed in relief. Undyne had instead grabbed Monster Kid, who was also hiding in the seagrass. Undyne dropped them and stormed off in disappointment. The kids then left the seagrass. Everyone aside from Melody, Faye and Cody had some kind of injury. And Monster Kid, who wasn't involved at all. The humans stared at each other in horror. Especially Melody. She couldn't stop shivering. That was close.

"Yo... did you guys see that?!" Monster Kid asked, running around in little circles. "Undyne just... TOUCHED me! I'm never washing my face again...! Man, are you guys unlucky. If you were standing just a little bit to the left...! Yo, don't worry! I'm sure we'll see her again." They raced off. They didn't realize that none of the human kids really liked Undyne at the moment.

"Oh, no," Cody looked disappointed. "I... I don't have enough food to heal everyone..." He started crying. "I'm so sorry!" The eighth human shook their head, as if saying, it's okay. They walked backwards, entering another room. It was a room with a table. On that table was a slice of cheese covered in a pink crystal. A mouse hole was in the wall. An echo flower was beside it. The eighth human stood there for a moment. Suddenly, they were miraculously healed.

"How does that work?!" Brayden asked, staring at them. Even Melody had to agree that power was a little strange. How could they do that? There was so much about them the kids didn't know... and there was something odd about this world too, like what Percy said... was something going on?

The eighth human didn't look worried. They made some of those facial expressions and hand gestures.

"There's ice-cream ahead...?" Clover asked. She rubbed her injured shoulder. "That'll be swell!" The kids left the room... well, not before checking out the squeaky mouse. They found Sans standing beside a telescope and a box. There was a wooden entrance leading to somewhere. Melody didn't really feel like talking to Sans, especially since he and Faye would probably make more awful puns.

Faye, indeed, stayed behind to make awful puns with Sans. Everyone else went into the wooden entrance to purchase Nice Cream. It was a small room. The Nice Cream bunny was sitting on one side of the room. The other side had a box.

The Nice Cream Guy sighed, "I relocated my store, but-"

"GIMME AN ICE-CREAM!" Brayden yelled, shaking his fist. Melody glared at him.

"Customers! Alright!" the Nice Guy cheered. "That'll be 25G each!"

"Did'ja raise the price?" Clover asked, raising her brow. The eighth humanwas already holding out the gold. Melody wondered where they got that from. Maybe she should stop wondering so much. They did save her life, after all. They saved everyone.

They bought three Nice Creams... and got three punch cards, so they got another Nice Cream. They gave it to Melody.

"Oh..." Melody accepted the Nice Cream. She smiled. "Thank you." Then the eighth human bought two more for Faye and Cody, even though they didn't need them. Melody guessed they did it out of courtesy. They didn't buy one for themself. Melody noticed they didn't eat a lot like Percy. They were strange like that. But they were so nice at the same time. Melody had never met a person such as them.

Brayden, Clover and Percy ate their Nice Creams. Their wounds healed. Melody smiled at them, glad her friends were better. Then the kids left and went outside. Faye was still talking to Sans. They were laughing a lot.

"heh heh..." Sans chuckled. He gazed at the other kids. "your friend is pretty faye-bulous." Faye blushed and waved it off. "can i keep her?" Faye blushed even more.

"She's MINE." Brayden growled, hugging Faye from behind. Faye was almost as red as the eighth human's soul. Brayden started blushing too and released her. The eighth humanhanded Faye a Nice Cream.

"Oh, thank you." she said, smiling at them. Melody sighed and shook her head. Faye and Brayden were so strange. Percy looked like he was having a fangirl moment. He totally shipped them all the way. Melody sighed again. Percy had so many strange interests. Because of him, she'd seen lots of cartoon and anime. Clover was wriggling her eyebrows. Cody was simply smiling. Melody realized at that moment she had lots of strange friends.

The kids walked a little further. They found a monster that looked like a cream-coloured teardrop. It was standing beside the entrance to a glowing, aquarium-like area. Dark plants were standing out in the glowing liquid.

"Now that's pretty," Faye admired, staring at the plants. Melody had to admit it was beautiful. Her parents would've loved to take a photo of it then put it in an art gallery. Her parents and their art galleries. It was painful. Her younger brother was involved too. Well, at least with comics, like Percy. Percy was how he got obsessed with comics.

"HUH? MY BROTHER? OF COURSE HE HAS A TELESCOPE!" the kids were calling Papyrus. Melody frowned. She stared at the genderless kid, who was observing their stick.

"What is it?" she found herself asking them. "What is it about you that makes you so amazing?" The eighth humanshrugged in response. There was almost a glimmer in their... closed eye. The other kids were finished calling Papyrus.

"Those two are some wacky skeletons." Clover commented, shaking her head.

"I like them!" Cody said brightly.

"THEY'RE PRETTY COOL I GUESS!" Brayden added.

"They are fascinating." Percy gushed.

"I don't like them." Melody grumbled, crossing her arms.

"Why not?" Faye asked. She tilted her head. "Is it because they annoy you?"

Melody sighed. She adjusted her bun. She never liked having her hair down. It got in her eyes. "Yes. They do annoy me. They're loud, they're weird, they got in our way, they have a messy house... need I go on?"

"That's a little mean, Melody," Cody told her. He laughed nervously. "You do like Toriel, right?"

"... yes," Melody replied. She folded her arms. "Toriel was nice. Just because I don't like some monsters, doesn't mean I don't like others. Okay?" She was getting annoyed now. She was allowed to dislike certain monsters.

"Chill out, Mel," Brayden said, waving his arms.

"'Chill out'?! Me?! Look at you running around, yelling at everyone to fight you!" Melody shot back. "It's so stupid!"

"It's NOT stupid!" Brayden yelled back. He took a step towards Melody. "You want me to talk everyone to death!? You're CRAZY!"

"You're crazy!" Melody said, glaring at him. They were nose-to-nose.

"You wanna fight me, Melody!?" Brayden asked, making those punching motions.

"Guys, please, don't fight!" Cody pleaded, stepping in between them.

"Yeah," Faye agreed." The eighth human and I found some really cool things. It's so pretty. You should see them." The eighth human nodded.

"I just wanna go HOME!" Brayden complained. "I don't wanna look at stuff!"

"I wanna go home too, but we're not gonna get anywhere if y'all are arguing all the time," Clover said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Says you." Melody snorted, giving her the stink-eye.

"You were just arguing with Brayden." Clover pointed out, glaring back at Melody.

"He was being stupid!" Melody retorted. "You argue with people for no reason!"

"I always have a reason, Melody," Clover said, going over to Melody. "You were bein' stupid."

Melody frowned. "I was not being stupid, I was being sensible." She was a sensible girl. A role-model. She wasn't stupid and she didn't act stupid.

"You always think you're being sensible," Clover spat. "But you're not. You're just annoyin' people." Melody wanted to kick Clover in the shins. That girl annoyed her so much.

"Guys, please!" Cody waved his arms. "No more fighting!"

Melody took a deep breath of composure. "Cody is right. This is stupid. We'd better go on." The kids followed a black path covered in small plants to the south. They went around a bend. They came into a room surrounded by glowing blue water and plants. Faye and the eighth human were playing Go Fish on the ground with some punch cards, right next to an echo flower. It seemed they had been waiting for the others.

"Got any threes?" Faye asked the eighth human. They shook their head. "Go fish, okay." She and the eighth human noticed the others. "Oh, hey guys. There's a really nice conversation happening between all the echo flowers."

"Oh, hey guys. There's a really nice conversation happening between all the echo flowers." the echo flower right next to Faye said. Faye giggled.

"Oops, not that one." she said. She stood up. "The genderless kid knows." The eighth humanstood up. They walked downwards.

"Can I play in the next round?" Percy asked, staring at the cards. Faye and the eighth human looked at each other. They both nodded.

"BLEH! CARD GAMES ARE BORING!" Brayden complained.

"I like card games," Clover grumbled. She eyed the card-players. "Can I play too?" They both nodded. The kids headed downwards, finding an echo flower and the eighth human. Melody wasn't so sure what they wanted to show her, but somehow she was interested anyway.

"Here we are," Faye spoke up. "The echo flower the eighth human and I were sitting next to said, 'so? Don't you have any wishes to make?'"

"... hmm, just one, but... it's kind of stupid." the echo flower continued. The kids followed a path leading downwards. On the way, they encountered Moldsmal. Melody wasn't a fan of Moldsmal. It was kind of weird. Theeighth human, however, shook their hips at Moldsmal, looking pretty dang fine. After that, the kids continued following the bendy path, when suddenly Papyrus rung.

"HELLO! THIS IS PAPYRUS!" Papyrus yelled. "REMEMBER WHEN I ASKED YOU ALL ABOUT CLOTHES? WELL, THE FRIEND WHO WANTED TO KNOW... HER OPINION OF YOU IS VERY... MURDERY. BUT I BET YOU KNEW THAT ALREADY!"

"Oh, we knew it alright." Clover mumbled.

"AND BECAUSE YOU KNEW THAT..." Papyrus continued. "I TOLD HER WHAT THE RED HUMAN TOLD ME YOU WERE ALL WEARING! A BANDAGE, A FADED RIBBON, A MANLY BANDANNA, A DUSTY TUTU, CLOUDY GLASSES, A STAINED APRON AND A COWBOY HAT! BECAUSE I KNEW, OF COURSE... AFTER SUCH A SUSPICIOUS QUESTION... THE RED HUMAN WOULD OBVIOUSLY TELL YOU ALL TO CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES! YOU'RE ALL SUCH SMART COOKIES! THIS WAY YOU'RE SAFE AND I DIDN'T LIE! NO BETRAYAL ANYWHERE! BEING FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE IS EASY!" He hung up.

"You never told us to change our clothes." Clover said, eyeing the genderless kid. They waved it off like it wasn't a big deal.

"Good, 'cause I like my clothes!" Brayden commented, flexing. Melody liked her clothes as well. She rarely took off her ballet things. They were almost like a part of her. But 'dusty'? The eighth humanhad described her things as 'dusty'? She almost felt insulted. And how did they know it was dusty? How did they know everything?

After another encounter and stupid flexing contest with Aaron, the kids continued. They wandered around Waterfall. It really was pretty. Almost magical. Faye was right. They found another echo flower.

"Don't say that!" the flower protested. "Come on, I promise I won't laugh."

"Who's saying all this stuff?" Brayden asked, scratching his head. The others shrugged - including theeighth human. They left the glowing area and followed a black path going upwards. There was a sign on the wall, continuing the monster history. Percy looked excited.

"The power to take their SOULS," Percy read. "This is the power that the humans feared."

"So we were right!" Cody exclaimed. He looked upset. "Poor monsters... we were so mean..."

"Our ancestors were not kind," Percy commented. He turned to Melody. "Melody... your grandfather..."

"He must've been in that awful war." Melody realized. She looked uncomfortable.

"Yeah, well, we're different, ain't we?" Clover asked, folding her arms. "Some monsters ain't so bad."

"Yeah, we're, like, the Mercy Fighters!" Brayden agreed, fist-pumping the air. The eighth human simply smiled. But there was something wrong with their smile, like they were hiding something. The kids continued. They came to a path going straight through a river.

"THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE WATER!" Brayden yelled. A yellow tentacle was poking out of the river. Brayden glared at it. "HEY! GET OUTTA THERE AND SHOW ME WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF!" Clover clutched her pistol. The eighth human continued walking. They had a reassuring grin on their face. Melody wondered how they could be so valiant.

Suddenly, a large, yellow octopus appeared. It had shiny eyes and a large blush. It was one of the strangest things Melody had ever seen. Aside from Percy's anime. "Hey... there..." it said. "Noticed you were... here..." It made a strange expression. "I'm Onionsan! Onionsan, y'hear!"

("Oh my gosh it kind of looks like Korosensei oh my gosh..." Percy fangirled. Melody rolled her eyes.)

"Nice to meet you, Onionsan!" Cody replied brightly. Clover put her pistol away. Brayden couldn't stop staring. And Melody was simply dumbfounded.

"You're visiting Waterfall, huh!" Onionsan asked. "It's great here, huh! You love it, huh!"

"... yeah?" Brayden responded questioningly.

"It's so pretty." Faye commented, smiling.

Onionsan spoke a little more about their hopes and dreams. They were so weird, Melody wasn't sure if she wanted to meet them again. The kids continued. They came to an area with paths going in different directions. A waterfall was flowing from the ceiling. They encountered a monster named Shyren. She was a shy monster with scaly hair. She was sitting on a snake-like entity. Shyren hides in the corner but somehow encounters you anyway.

Melody got some kind of musical vibe from Shyren. She was musical too, she knew. She looked over her shoulder. Percy was taking notes.

"HEY! LOOK AT ME!" Brayden yelled at Shyren.

"Brayden, shush," Melody spoke up. She perked up. Someone was singing. "Can you all hear that?"

"They're singing." Faye was smiling at the genderless kid. They were humming a jazz ballad.

"THEY'RE MAKING A SOUND!" Brayden exclaimed. The eighth human was indeed making a great sound. They had a nice voice, almost soothing. It was easy to sing along with. Melody found herself joining in.

"Si re, si re si mi si mi." Shyren hummed along. Musical notes floated towards the children. Melody danced out of the way, singing more. She could tell what this was. It was a concert. A musical concert. She let herself immerse in this moment, just for once. A home away from hell.

The eighth human was humming louder. Their voice sounded really nice, a soothing background for the concert. Shyren seems more comfortable singing along. Monsters were drawn to the concert. Sans was selling tickets made of toilet paper. The other kids backed away, letting Melody dance to her heart's content. She twirled and continued singing notes in the pale light. She was almost... glowing blue.

She hadn't felt like this for a long time. She had been so worried and upset for the whole journey. What if they would never escape? What would happen to her friends? It took all the energy she had to keep herself upright. But not just here, but on the surface too. It was hard to be the honest one. Melody realized that life was worth living if there were moments like this. The eighth human smiled at her. She found herself smiling back. They knew more than anyone how to make a scene.

Shyren's singing was getting louder. The eighth human's humming was becoming a song of its own. Melody continued dancing, singing all the notes she could think of. Music was so important to her. When life got too much, music was an oasis. The only oasis she had. The eighth human danced with her for a bit, their short dark brown hair flowing in the light breeze. They sung a few notes together. Monsters cheered and clapped. Cody was crying into his sister's sleeve. And Melody couldn't stop smiling.

"Wow, you two are really good!" Cody told Melody and the genderless kid when the concert was over.

"Show-offs." Clover muttered. Melody glared at her.

"You... YOU MAKE SOUND!" Brayden yelled, staring at the genderless kid. They shrugged.

"There's a treasure in the northern room, according to this sign." Percy was reading a sign on the wall. Melody bit her lip. Percy didn't say too much about the performance. She knew he could be exclusive, but...

"A treasure!?" Brayden asked, looking excited. "I want a treasure!"

"What kind of treasure is it?" Clover asked, raising her brow. The eighth human smirked. They gestured for everyone to follow them. They walked down a path, passing a bunch of signs talking about monster history. Percy stopped to read them and take notes.

"This power has no counter," he read. "Indeed, a human cannot take a monster's SOUL. When a monster dies, its SOUL disappears. And an incredible power would be needed to take the SOUL of a living monster." He frowned. "So there's no counter. It seems the humans had good reason to be afraid."

"No way!" Brayden protested. "Couldn't the humans, like, deal with it or something? Monsters didn't hunt them down or anything, right?!"

"Who knows?" Percy responded. His hands quivered. Melody bit her lip. "Maybe humanity was just paranoid." He read the next sign. "There is only one exception. The SOUL of a special species of monster called a 'Boss Monster'. A Boss Monster's SOUL is strong enough to persist after death... if only for a few moments. A human could absorb this SOUL. But this has never happened. And now, it never will."

"Who's a boss monster, then?" Clover asked. The eighth human held out their stick. They drew stuff on their ground. The kids crowded around them.

"Toriel?" Melody asked, observing their artwork. "And... ASGORE? King ASGORE?"

"The king is a boss monster," Percy realized. "Hopefully we won't need to fight him. Our SOULs are supposedly strong enough to pass the barrier by themselves." The eighth human looked away in guilt for whatever reason. "But if we do have to fight him, and if we can defeat him... one of us can absorb his SOUL."

"What will happen then?" Faye asked patiently.

"I don't know," Percy answered. He stared at the eighth human. "Do you know?" They shrugged. Melody noticed they looked slightly anxious about something. They shrugged it off and gestured for everyone to follow them. And they approached something beautiful.

A rock statue with horns was sitting in a patch of light. Rain poured down from above. It was almost mesmerizing. Creases appeared around the eighth human's eyes. They had a nostalgic smile on their face.

"Wow... it's beautiful..." Faye observed. She sat down on the spot and observed the statue. Melody stared at it for a few moments. It really was beautiful. Something about it made her sad.

"It looks ancient." Percy observed the statue. He took notes. The eighth human gestured for the rest of the kids to follow them. In the next room was a basket full of umbrellas and a waterfall. The eighth human picked up an umbrella. They held it above their large head.

"An umbrella!" Cody observed, clapping his hands together.

"Why didn't you tell me there were umbrellas? I could've spared my hair!" Melody complained, fingering her bun. The genderless kid led everyone back to the statue room. They placed the umbrella on top of the statue. Inside the statue, a music box begins to play...

"Oh wow..." Faye was sitting right next to the statue. A beautiful yet sad song began playing. [A/N: Play Memory from the soundtrack. The slowed down version works better.] It made Melody feel very nostalgic. She felt like she had heard that song somewhere. She stayed in the corner, doing a little dance.

"Oh Clover!" Cody sniffled. He hugged his sister, his voice cracking. Clover hugged him back. Percy couldn't even take notes. He simply stared. Brayden stared too. He wasn't yelling for once. The eighth humansat there for a moment, more creases on their face. They looked so pained, yet they were smiling. They briefly laughed for a moment, making another sound. They had a quiet laugh, that once might've been more cheerful.

"YOU MADE ANOTHER SOUND!" Brayden exclaimed. Everyone shushed him. The eighth human approached Melody. They told her to follow them. They had a strange look on their face. Melody followed them. They led her past Shyren's room and north. A small room was there. It had only walls, a sign and...

"A piano!" Melody gasped. She walked over to the piano and sat down. She began playing a song she was learning for a concert. She liked to play piano as well. Something about music was truly magical. Percy could try to explain it, but he couldn't. Melody had told him that over and over again.

The eighth human peered over her shoulder. They had an eager look on their face.

"Oh?" Melody asked, staring at them. "Do you want a turn?" She gasped. "Can you play piano as well? Goodness, how do you know how to do all these things?" They shrugged at her. Melody sighed and let them play the piano. They played the song that the music box was playing, and they did it quite well. [A/N: Listen to the piano version of Memory XD]

"Can I join in?" Melody asked. She grinned. "I think I know the notes." Soon, they were both playing the song. Melody had to admit, they were very good. They sounded great together. Neither of them had noticed a large door open in the wall.

"HEY!" Brayden yelled, running in. "THERE'S A BIG DOOR THERE! COOL!"

"We should check it out." Clover agreed. The others approached the door.

"What?" Melody asked. She gazed at the door. "Oh, so there is!" She grinned at the eighth human. "That was fun. We really need to perform together if we get home." She walked over to the door. She grabbed Brayden's shoulder before he ran in. "Hey! Brayden. You know how I've always wanted to teach you piano? Well, now's that chance!"

"I wanna see what's inside!" Brayden protested. Everyone else was already inside. The eighth human was smiling in an impish way. They had a don't worry about it, it's not really that interesting look on their face. Melody gave Brayden a stare. The eighth human kept looking at him with that face.

"Fiiiinneee, you can teach me piano!" Brayden said, groaning. Melody smirked. The kids sat down on the seat in front of the piano.

"Okay," Melody took a deep breath. "To play piano, firstly you must know all the notes and which ones you have to play for a song." Brayden was already smashing away on the piano. "No no no, you're just being silly! Stop it!" She shooed his hands away. "Okay. Listen. I will show you how to play the song we heard on the music box. The eighth human was playing that song. You see those notes? That's-" Brayden was being silly again.

"THIS IS FUN!" he yelled, playing random notes. It sounded very stupid and noisy.

"Stop it!" Melody grumbled. Brayden ignored her. "Stop it, Brayden." He kept ignoring her. "Do you want to learn or not?"

"Yeah, but you're being boooorrrriiinnng." Brayden complained.

"Well, how else do I explain it?" Melody asked, frowning at him. "Just watch me." She played the music box song. She played it slowly. Again, she almost started crying. Nostalgia seemed to overfill her. "C-copy me..." Brayden eyed her movements, and actually copied her. They were playing together. It made Melody even sadder. "Now, those notes you're playing are..." She sniffled. "Are... a... are..." She took a shaky breath.

She wondered if they would be able to get home. Would she ever see her family again? If they even wanted to see her? This song was so beautiful...

"HEY!" Brayden snapped her back to reality. "Notes I'm playing are what?"

Melody shook her head. "Notes are... um... I'll write them down." She felt funny.

"Are you crying?" Brayden asked, staring at her.

"I think I am." Melody replied. Tears were in her eyes. The eighth human came over and patted her back.

"WELL STOP CRYING!" Brayden yelled. He stood up on the seat. "'CAUSE WE WILL GET OUT OF HERE!" He gave her a noogie.

"My bun...!" Melody exclaimed through tears. "Don't touch it!" Too late. Her bun had come undone and she now had a high ponytail. She groaned. Brayden started laughing really hard. The eighth human shrugged at her. Melody sighed.

The kids walked through an area full of puddles. Rain was pouring from the ceiling. Some of them were annoyed because the great treasure was a ruse. Only Faye and Cody were happy, probably because they thought the dog that had stolen the legendary treasure was cute.

"HIYA!" Brayden jumped into a puddle, splashing everyone.

"You wanna go?" Clover asked, splashing him back.

"Oh come on." Melody groaned. Brayden splashed some water on her. Melody growled. She was soaking. "Oh no you don't, Brayden. You won't get away with splashing me!" She splashed him back, getting water everywhere. Percy was backing away. Cody was hiding behind his sister. The genderless kid splashed everyone at once. Somehow.

Faye perked up. She turned to the eighth human. "I have something to show you. Come here." She sounded innocent. The eighth human approached her. Faye jumped, covering them in water. They frowned. Brayden started laughing really hard. Clover and Melody splashed him at the same time.

"HEY!" Brayden yelled. He chased both of them around the puddles. Cody yelped.

"Bro, do somethin'!" Clover yelled at him. Cody gulped.

"I'm so sorry!" he shouted. He raised his shoe. He kicked a droplet of water at Brayden. The small orange human stared at him. "Please don't hate me!"

"I'll show you how it's done!" Melody told him. She leaped really high into the air, bringing down her ballet slippers. Everyone was covered in water. They were soaking. Then they all fell over laughing. Aside from Percy, who was clutching his books with his life. He was trying to avoid all this. The eighth human laughed for a little bit, but they quickly stopped themself. Melody couldn't believe she was acting so irresponsible. She laughed anyway. The kids got up, continuing their walk through the rain. They found Monster Kid on the way.

"Hey! You guys looked like you were having fun," Monster Kid told them. "Are you going somewhere? I guess I'll come with you all, heh." They walked alongside them. "Let's go!" They walked over the puddles. They stopped at one point, only because some kids were staring at themselves in the puddle. Melody stood next to Percy. They looked at themselves in the puddle. She gave him a smile. He didn't give it back. He simply nodded.

The eighth human was standing next to the monster child. They stared at their reflection in the puddle. Suddenly, they gasped, like they saw something horrific. They dashed off, splashing through the puddles.

"WAIT UP!" Brayden yelled, racing after them. Melody sighed again. The other kids caught up as well. Rain was still pouring.

"Man, Undyne is soooooo cool," Monster Kid gushed. "She beats up bad guys and NEVER loses. If I was a human, I would wet the bed every night... knowing she was gonna beat me up! Ha ha."

"Undyne doesn't scare me!" Brayden yelled. "She'd wet the bed every night knowing I was gonna beat her up! HA!" He cracked his knuckles.

"And she's not that cool." Melody agreed. "She's just mean."

"No need to be party-poopers," Monster Kid chuckled. "Undyne is the best! You're just jealous." They raced off.

"I'm not JEALOUS!" Brayden grumbled, folding his arms.

"Why would ya be?" Clover asked, frowning. The kids followed Monster Kid. They walked down a rainy path.

"So, one time," Monster Kid began telling a story. "We had a school project where we had to take care of a flower. The king - we had to call him 'Mr. Dreemurr' - volunteered to donate his own flowers. He ended up coming to school and teaching the class about responsibility and stuff. That got me thinking..." They smirked. "YO! How cool would it be if UNDYNE came to school! She could beat up ALL the teachers!"

"YEAH!" Brayden cheered. Melody stared at him. "... no?"

"I like some of the teachers at our school..." Faye commented quietly.

"Yeah," Cody agreed. "Our art teacher is really nice."

"Any teacher that educates properly is a good teacher." Percy commented. The kids continued walking.

"Umm, maybe she wouldn't beat up the teachers..." Monster Kid chuckled. "She's too cool to ever hurt an innocent person!" They ran off, following the path. The humans did as well. They came to a view of the King's Castle. It was a gleaming, white palace. The ceiling was covered in sparkling crystals. The turrets had blue roofs that shimmered in the light. Everyone stopped to observe it for a moment. Melody was starstruck. It was incredible.

"Is that Disneyland?" Brayden asked. He gasped. "Does Asgore live in Disneyland?! NOW I'm JEALOUS!"

"That's not Disneyland, Brayden," Melody pointed out. "That's ASGORE's castle. Papyrus said so, didn't he?"

"It looks like Disneyland." Clover said.

"Disneyland has more flags and more turrets," Percy commented. "I should know. I've been to Disneyland."

"YOU WENT TO DISNEYLAND!?" Brayden flipped out. "WHEN!?" The two boys started talking about Disneyland. Everyone headed on. Melody eyed the castle one last time. A smile spread on her face. Despite everything, there was beauty in the world. Like the concert.

The area after the castle view was blocked by a ledge. Monster Kid was frowning at it.

"Yo," they said. "This ledge is way too steep..." They looked thoughtful. "Hmm..."

"We could climb on each other's shoulders..." Faye suggested.

"But that means someone will have to stay behind." Percy pointed out. Everyone looked disappointed.

"Yo, you guys wanna see Undyne, right...?" Monster Kid asked. "Well... you guys can climb on my shoulders." The eighth humanmade some gestures. "Oh! They want to help. You can... climb on... their head?"

"You've got a thick head." Faye told the eighth human. She had a stupid grin on her face. Everyone groaned.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Cody asked Monster Kid. "Maybe we can pull you up or something."

"It's fine, buddy!" Monster Kid laughed. "I always find a way through!"

"I feel uncomfortable stepping on heads and shoulders." Melody grumbled.

"Melody, you can't step on anti-dandruff shampoo." Faye told Melody. It took a little while for Melody to get the joke. Everyone but Melody laughed. Melody groaned.

"What's anti-dandruff shampoo?" Brayden asked, scratching his head.

"The humans, afraid of our power, declared war on us. They attacked suddenly, and without mercy. In the end, it could hardly be called a war. United, the humans were too powerful, and us monsters, too week. Not a single SOUL was taken, and countless monsters were turned to dust..." Percy finished the history. "So if we were to kill everything in our path..."

"It'd be easy." Clover finished. The eighth human bit their lip.

"We're not killing anyone, though, right?" Cody asked. He clutched his frying pan.

"I shan't think so." Melody told him, folding her arms. "Though some people tried to." She gazed at Clover. "And some people almost died." The eighth human paused. Clover gave Melody a death-stare. The eighth human was staring at something for a bit. Then they started walking across a bridge. The other kids followed. Shadows crawled across their faces. Something wasn't right.

And they had reason to be suspicious. Glowing, blue patches surrounded the children. They didn't look friendly.

"What's goin' on?!" Clover asked, holding her gun up.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" Brayden demanded, clenching his fists. The others looked afraid. The blue patches turned into spears, almost impaling the children.

"Undyne." Melody realized, her breath caught in the throat.

"Run." Percy said emotionlessly. The kids raced across the bridge, blue patches under their feet. The eighth human was charging ahead. They held their hand out, non-verbally telling the others to follow them. Only Faye was behind. She was taking her time, hanging about on the bridge. Undyne was too busy chasing the others to notice.

The genderless kid weaved around the bends, narrowly avoiding the spears like they did it for breakfast. A spear almost got Melody, but the eighth human shoved her out of the way. Brayden was screaming curses at the top of his lungs. Clover was firing at the spears. Undyne was underneath the bridge, keeping an eye on the children. Cody was whimpering. Percy was sitting there with a stoic expression.

"Percy, come on!" Melody demanded. "I don't want you to die!" She took his hand. Percy may not have been her only friend, but he was her best friend. Despite everything, Melody didn't want to loose him. They weaved around more bends, following the eighth human.

"Death is inevitable," Percy replied. "But that doesn't mean we should give up. There's always hope."

"Yes," Melody agreed. She smiled. That song played in her head. "Determination is the only way to survive this world."

"UNDYNE! MORE LIKE UNDUMB!" Brayden taunted, narrowly missing a spear. Clover grabbed him and her brother. They raced off, following the eighth human. The spears were getting faster. Undyne's patience was wearing thin.

"But, Percy," Melody faced her best friend before she was skewered. "If... if we don't survive, I wanted to tell you..." The eighth human leaped between them, saving their lives from more spears. The kids were now on an open space. The escape continued. So did the spears. The eighth human looked very determined. There were spears everywhere. Cody had been injured. He was holding his arm and wincing. Clover didn't look very pleased. Brayden was still screaming. Percy and Melody were staring at each other. Death was nearby. Percy let Melody grab his arm and give him a smile. Melody couldn't stop crying.

Best friends forever.

The kids reached a part where the bridge extended out. Finally, the spears subsided.

Brayden looked around in confusion. "Where'd she go?!"

"I dunno, but she's gonna pay when I see her next." Clover growled. The eighth human walked backwards. The others followed them. There was Undyne, blocking their way. She approached them, looking fierce.

"You still smell like fish!" Brayden said, looking disgusted.

"Stop this, Undyne," Melody told the fish lady. "We never did anything to you!" Undyne ignored her. Spears came down from above, slicing the bridge in half. The side with the kids plummeted down into the darkness. The kids screamed for help, but nobody came. It was too late.

...

"Oh..." Faye walked over, realizing her friends had fallen down. She'd been having a great time, smelling the flowers, having a leisurely walk while her friends were running for their lives. "I think I'll just wait here until they come back. I'm sure the reviewers won't mind too much." Undyne threateningly held up spears. "Okay, okay, I'll jump down too..." Faye squeaked. She didn't want to jump off the edge. It was too scary.

Undyne groaned. She made spears cut off the edge Faye was standing on. Faye fell down too, faintly screaming. Well, as Brayden says, the group sticks together.


	14. Ghosts

~Melody~

It sounds like it came from over here...

Oh! You've fallen down, haven't you...

Are you okay? Here, get up...

Chara, huh? That's a nice name. My name is...

...

"FAAYYYEEEE! GET OFF ME!" Brayden yelled. Faye had landed on Brayden... again.

"Sorry..." Faye mumbled, falling into the water. The children had landed in some kind of garbage dumb. A large waterfall was beside them. There were small platforms made of wooden planks. Melody shook her head. What was that voice she had just heard? Who was Chara? Who was speaking to them?

"Did any of y'all get some weird voice sayin' 'Chara, huh? That's a nice name.' My name is..." Clover spoke up. She was rubbing her head.

"I DID!" Brayden yelled. "I WAS SO ANNOYED! WHO THE HECK IS CHARA!? WHO WAS SPEAKING TO THEM?!"

"This is a theory, but Chara may be the fallen angel, or the only human who fell before us." Percy said, examining his notes. The eighth human perked up at Chara's name. The name seemed to scare them.

"Then who was speaking to Chara?" Cody asked.

"I don't know," Percy replied. He looked panicked. "I don't know anything."

"Now, now, Percy, we'll figure it out." Melody told him, helping him stand up. "What is this place?"

"Golden flowers." Faye observed the flowers they had landed on. "Like the ones we landed on when we first came here."

"I have a feeling that the flowers are somehow connected with the story of the fallen child." Percy commented, taking more notes. "They show us their memories."

"THIS PLACE IS CRAZY BIG!" Brayden yelled, running off. He ran into a pile of junk. He ended up getting stuck. "GUUUYSSSS! I'M STUUCCKKK! Oh hey, I found a Kit Kat! Nice!"

"Brayden, don't eat that!" Melody yelled. She raced over to the pile of junk. Some of the brands in the trash were familiar to her. She pulled her friend out. He had found lots of other garbage as well as that Kit Kat. Melody took the Kit Kat out of his hands and gave him a glare.

"Melody! Give it baaaccckkkk!" Brayden whined. He wrestled her to the ground, trying to take the Kit Kat back.

"Where does all this garbage come from?" Clover asked, trudging through the water. The others followed her. Cody ran over to Brayden and Melody. Melody was holding the Kit Kat away from Brayden, not letting it get in his reach. They were fighting nearby a large waterfall with a wooden platform in the center. The eighth human stood on the wooden platform. Faye and Percy joined them. Percy was taking notes, trying to figure out how the rubbish got into the Underground.

"Guys, please don't fight!" Cody pleaded. He wheezed, realizing he was still injured from the Undyne encounter. That reminded Melody of that awful experience. She hoped they wouldn't run into Undyne again. Clover came over as well. She took the Kit Kat from Melody and waved it in the air.

"Give it to me, Clo!" Brayden said, standing up.

"Don't, it'll make him sick!" Melody told Clover. Melody and Brayden eyed each other.

"If y'all are just gonna fight over this, then no one can have it," Clover said. She snapped the Kit Kat in half and threw it over the waterfall. It floated away. Brayden groaned.

"Clover, that's littering!" Melody snapped, standing up.

"All of this is littering, Melody," Clover retorted, folding her arms. "And look, Brayden didn't get the Kit Kat. That's what ya wanted, right?" Melody couldn't argue with that. Brayden pouted. Meanwhile, Percy had figured out the garbage cycle.

"The waterfall flows from the ceiling of the cavern, occasionally bringing a piece of trash. It will fall into the bottomless pit below. Over a long period of time, quite an amount has built up." the purple child explained. Melody wondered how he figured that out. Well, he was Percy. He knew how to figure things out.

The kids walked through a narrow room. Garbage was floating beside the walls.

"This place is disgusting," Melody commented, cringing. "How do we get out of here?" She heard a strange-sounding honk. She yelped in surprise and jumped into Brayden's arms. The eighth humangave her a funny look. Their hand was rested on an old bike. Everyone else started laughing.

"MELODY!" Brayden yelled. He dropped her, brushing his arms off. Melody groaned. She couldn't believe she had just done that. How embarrassing.

"A beat-up desktop computer," Percy was examining a computer. "This thing is ancient! I haven't seen a computer like this for a long time." He checked the inside. He gasped, suddenly sounding emotional. "Empty! Wh... who could do this to a computer? WHO COULD DO THIS TO A COMPUTER!?" He realized he had just yelled. "I... um..."

"You're a geek, we know." Melody sighed. She knew tech made Percy very excited. She had been witness to this quite often.

"Hey, there's some Astronaut Food in this cooler," Faye was standing beside an orange cooler. She held up some Astronaut Food. "You can heal yourself, Cody!"

"Thanks, Faye!" Cody grinned, taking some of the Astronaut Food. The eighth human gave him a thumbs up.

"Ugh." Melody commented. Astronaut Food sounded gross. What even was that? Yuck.

"Undyne." Clover muttered vengefully. She was eyeing her brother.

"She was mean, wasn't she?" Melody sighed, eyeing Clover. "I don't want all that stuff to happen again. But you're not going to try and kill Undyne just because she hurt your brother, are you?" Clover stormed off. "Well goodness me!" Melody made a mental note to keep an eye on Clover. Melody sighed. She had to look after all her friends, just like a mom. She missed Toriel. Toriel was a real mom - she would know how to look after everyone.

Melody noticed Percy looked excited about something. Nearby the cooler was a colourful DVD case.

"It's a DVD case," Percy said, rushing over to the DVD case. He sounded panicked, excited and a lot of other things. "It's a DVD case for Mew Mew Kissy Cutie. One of my favourite anime, even if everyone says it's cringe." He raised his arms. "The Underground is officially good now. I know that for sure. If there is anime, it is a good place. Very very very good." He opened the case. "It is empty." He sounded dead inside again. "I changed my mind. We are in Hell."

"It's just weird cartoons." Brayden said, crinkling his nose. Percy looked insulted.

"Brayden Valiance, anime is not weird cartoons!" he exclaimed. His voice sounded like it was full of emotion for once. "Anime is beyond cartoon! Anime is my solace! It's magical, it's full of magical girls and magical people and magical plants and shouting and colours and-"

"Percy, calm down." Melody placed her hands on Percy's shoulders. "Anime'll be somewhere here. We need to get a move on, okay?"

"But Mew Mew Kissy Cutie..." Percy sighed. The others were giving each other weird looks. Melody led Percy away from the anime. They passed a dummy like the one in the RUINS. Brayden cracked his knuckles.

"I'mma beat it up!" he yelled. He punched the dummy at full-force, knocking it over. He cheered victoriously.

"Poor dummy..." Faye sighed, eyeing it. Cody looked upset as well. Melody, meanwhile, was relieved. There was an exit ahead! That was until the dummy came to life and blocked the way.

"FOOL!" they screamed. They were a floating dummy with angry eyes. "You think you can hurt ME!? I am a ghost that lives inside a DUMMY!"

"No need to diss yourself there," Faye commented. She had a stupid grin on your face. "We can already see you're pretty dumb." Everyone groaned.

"SHUT UP!" the dummy yelled. "My cousin used to live inside a DUMMY, too. Until... YOU ALL CAME ALONG! When you talked to them, they thought they were in for a nice chat... but the things you all SAID...! Horrible! Shocking! UNBELIEVABLE! It spooked them right out of their dummy!"

"The dummy in the Ruins." Percy realized.

"Oh, no, I'm so sorry!" Cody pleaded. He sounded sad. "We didn't mean to offend your cousin!"

"HUMANS!" the dummy yelled. "I'll scare your SOULS right out of your bodies!" They turned bright red. They shook like they were furious, which they obviously were. And then a battle started. Melody sighed. She just wanted to leave. Mad Dummy blocks the way!

The eighth human checked them, because Percy loves taking notes. MAD DUMMY 7 ATK -40 DEF. Because they're a ghost, physical attacks will fail.

"Futile!" Mad Dummy screamed. Little dummies launched balls of cotton at the kids. The genderless kid protected their friends as best as they could. Melody got some cotton in her hair. She sighed. Faye sneezed. It was so adorably petite everyone stopped and stared at her.

"Sorry, cotton allergy..." Faye apologized.

"Cotton allergy?" Clover asked. She frowned. "We can't fight with that! That's not fair!" She glared at the dummy. "Hey! My friend's got a cotton allergy. It ain't fair if she gets sick!"

"Cotton allergy?" the dummy asked. They looked evil. "Well, if I can't use cotton-based attacks... I'LL USE SOMETHING MUCH MORE DANGEROUS! Haha. Haha! HAHA! DUMMY BOTS! USE MAGIC MISSILE!" Robot dummies appeared around the kids' SOULs. Their eyes flashed a dangerous red.

"Oh no... this is my fault..." Faye said, looking upset. "I'm the dummy... I shouldn't have sneezed..." The robot dummies unleashed a bunch of missiles.

"Scatter." Percy said emotionessly. The kids raced out of the way. Melody had no idea what was going on. The eighth human was leading the rockets towards the dummy. They hit the dummy with a loud explosion.

"DUMMIES! Hit the humans, not ME!" the dummy screamed. "DUMMY BOTS! TRY AGAIN!" The genderless kid gestured for everyone to replicate their actions. The kids swirled around, leading the missiles towards Mad Dummy. Tons of magic missiles hit the dummy, making them furious.

"Dummy bots! You're awful. Awful! AWFUL!" Mad Dummy yelled. Mad Dummy is hopping mad. The kids stared at each other. They spared Mad Dummy again. Even more missiles chased their SOULs. They repeated what they did the previous turn. Mad Dummy looked furious.

"(No... no way!)" Mad Dummy exclaimed. "(These guys are useless! GAH! I will use explosives instead!)" Mad Dummy glares into a mirror, then turns to you with the same expression.

"Explosives don't sound very good..." Faye commented, looking anxious.

"Any way we can spare this thing?" Clover asked, folding her arms. The eighth humannodded. They made more funny gestures.

"Again?!" Brayden groaned. "Seriously!? This is sooo booorrriiinnggg!" Melody really wanted to leave. The eighth human shrugged. Mad Dummy screamed something. Little dummies appeared around the kids' SOULs. They flashed red and charged towards the kids. The eighth human avoided them, hoping the others would copy. Melody almost got hit. More rockets appeared. The children moved around in a big circle, then led the rockets up to Mad Dummy. The ghost got hit again.

"All of these guys are useless!" they screamed. They looked very ticked off. "Who cares. Who cares! WHO CARES! I DON'T NEED FRIENDS!" A knife appeared next to their head. "I'VE GOT KNIVES!" A knife threw itself at the kids. The eighth humanshoved them all out of the way, even though it wasn't really hard to dodge. Melody guessed it was paranoia.

Mad Dummy frowned. "I'm... out of knives." They started shaking intensely. "BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER! YOU ALL CAN'T HURT ME AND I CAN'T HURT YOU! YOU'LL BE STUCK FIGHTING ME..." They looked... psycho, Melody believed the word was. "Forever. Forever! FOREVER! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The kids gave each other worried glances.

"MAKE ME!" Brayden challenged, glaring at Mad Dummy. Suddenly, it started raining on the dummy. Mad Dummy went a bit ballistic. Clover covered Cody's eyes.

"Wh... what the heck is this!?" Mad Dummy asked. They looked disturbed. "Ergh! Acid rain?! Oh, FORGET IT! I'm outta here!" They disappeared off-screen, the bike horn honking in the background.

"Who saved us?" Cody asked, clinging to his sister's arm. Napstablook appeared. Their large eyes were watery. Cody gasped. "Napstablook! Thank you!"

"It's nice to see you, Napstablook." Faye told them, smiling.

"... sorry, I interrupted you, didn't I?" Napstablook asked, sounding depressed. Melody liked Napstablook. They were a little down in the dumps, but she found them easy to like. Even though the kids had only met them once. "As soon as I came over, your friend immediately left... oh no... you guys looked like you were having fun."

"Don't worry 'bout it, pardner," Clover reassured the ghost. "We weren't havin' fun. That guy was tryna kill us."

"They set off my cotton allergies..." Faye said, holding her nose.

"Oh... well, you're welcome, I guess..." Napstablook replied. "I still feel bad... I only wanted to say hi... oh no..." The battle concluded.

"Don't feel bad, Napstablook," Cody told them, smiling. "We really appreciate it!"

"According to my calculations, yes, yes we do." Percy agreed.

"Well... I'm going to head home now..." Napstablook said. "Oh... um... feel free to 'come with' if you want... but no pressure... I understand if you're busy... it's fine... no worries-"

"WE GET IT!" Brayden interrupted. He looked excited. He ignored Melody glaring at him. "And we wanna go to your place! Where is it?!"

"This way." Napstablook replied. They floated north. The kids followed them, finally leaving that Garbage Dump. They came to an area with pathways going in different directions. Napstablook turned around and faced the kids. "Hey. My house is up here. In case you want to see... or in case... you don't." They floated up the middle path. The eighth humandid that weird thing where they stood and stared at something for a few moments. Then they went up the path Napstablook went.

"Guys, wait," Percy spoke up before Brayden chased them. Everyone turned and stared at Percy. "I didn't want to say this in front of them, but... I feel like there's something more going on with the gender-neutral child. I don't have any clear evidence, it's more of a feeling. Somehow, somehow... I can tell they're a big part of the story. So is Chara."

"I kinda feel like that too," Clover agreed. "Almost like... I know 'em from somewhere."

"Yeah," Faye said. "They've done some really cool things but... something feels off about them."

Melody stared at the path. She thought about how strange that eighth human acted sometimes. Yet they were so nice and they were brave and a whole bunch of other things. She could see why everyone liked them. They had saved everyone's life a few times. Yet, in a way, they were a bit... dodgy. They always seemed a little anxious or guilty. Melody thought it was so strange. She hoped one day, the eighth human would tell them all the truth.

After all, honesty was policy. Percy walked up to Melody. He mumbled, "I had a weird dream about it, Melody. A dream about something really awful."

"You did?" Melody replied.

"I... I didn't want to say it in front of everyone else," Percy said. His usual dry, monotonous voice sounded a little... scared for once. Melody raised her brow. "But I saw the absolute worst income." He paused. "I saw someone... slaughtering us all... then the world was destroyed."

"What?" Melody asked. "But who...?"

"It was not clear, but I distinctly remember glowing, red eyes," Percy replied. He stared at the eighth human. "Much like them."

Melody felt uneasy. She realized that something terrible was indeed happening.

"Oh... you really came..." Napstablook was wearing black headphones. The kids were inside their small, wooden, blue house. There were cobwebs in the corners. CDs were on the floor. A fridge was in the corner. There was also a TV and a computer. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting that... it's not much, but make yourself at home..."

"Don't say that!" Cody insisted. "Your house looks great!" Melody, meanwhile, was inspecting Napstablook's CDs. She noticed their headphones. She raised her brow.

"You like music?" she asked, staring at Napstablook.

"Yeah, I guess..." Napstablook replied. "I like to make my own songs sometimes..." Melody played one of the CDs. It was called 'Ghouliday'. It was basically a bunch of ghosts making noises. Napstablook looked up. "Oh, this one. Once you learn the lyrics, it's hard not to sing along... ooo ooo oooo, ooo ooo oooo, oo oo ooo oo ooo..."

Melody raised her brow. She thought it was a weird song. The other kids were looking at each other.

"Um... nice...!" Cody attempted to compliment Napstablook. He chuckled nervously. Melody played another CD. It was called Spookwave. It was pretty sp00py.

"Dang... that ambience..." Napstablook commented. "It's like my whole body is being spooked..." 

"Yeah, mine too." Faye said, looking a little scared. Brayden pulled a silly face and took comedically oversized steps.

"I'm a ghooooossstttt," he said, making his voice sound echoey. "Boo!" He managed to scare Cody, who clung onto his sister.

"Well, I'm a ghost hunter," Clover retorted. She grabbed Brayden like she was going to give him a noogie. "And I got you, pardner."

"CLOVER!" Brayden yelled. They got into a little physical fight.

"I don't remember that happening in Ghostbusters." Percy said, eyeing them.

"Oh for goodness' sake," Melody grumbled, folding her arms. "You two are being very rude. We're houseguests!"

"Yeah, and Napstablook might find us making fun of ghosts kinda mean..." Faye pointed out.

"Do real ghosts even act such a way?" Percy asked, sounding inquisitive.

"I don't mind..." Napstablook said. "Make yourselves at home..." Melody sighed. She played the next CD which was called 'Spooktunes'. It sounded like the last song, but less echoey. "Oh... a classic spooktune... they don't make songs like this anymore..."

"It's... great!" Cody said, biting his lip.

"This music is so weird," Melody told Napstablook. "I've never heard anything like it. I thought Percy's AMV music was weird. But this! This is... just weird."

"AMVs are not weird." Percy grumbled, adjusting his glasses.

"Oh... I'm sorry..." Napstablook apologized. "It's just my ghost tunes... oh no..."

"You say 'oh no' a lot," Melody told them, folding her arms. "You don't have to."

"I'm sorry..." Napstablook apologized. "Oh no...." Melody sighed.

"HEY! I'M HUNGRY!" Brayden yelled, looking at the fridge. "HEY! NAPSTA! I WANT SOME FOOD!" Melody glared at him. He groaned. "May I please have something to eat, Napstablook?"

"Oh... you're hungry... I can get you something to eat..." Napstablook floated over to the fridge. They... supposedly brought something out. "This is a ghost sandwich... do you want to try it..."

"I CAN'T SEE IT!" Brayden yelled. He smiled. "Yeah, I'd like to try it." He tried to bite the ghost sandwich. He phased right through it. Clover started laughing. She found it funny for whatever reason. Brayden glared at her. "HEY, SHUT UP CLOVER!"

"Brayden! You can't say that!" Melody told him off.

"Oh... nevermind..." Napstablook sighed. "After a great meal I like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage... it's family tradition... do you all want... to join me..."

"I already do." Percy sighed, adjusting his glasses. [A/N: Ditto, Perce XD] Melody gave him a look.

"Me too," Faye agreed.

"But Faye! You're not garbage!" Brayden yelled, staring at Faye.

"No, I like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage," Faye replied. "I don't think I said I'm garbage... am I garbage?"

"NO!" Brayden answered almost immediately. "YOU'RE NOT GARBAGE! You're... non-garbage! Yeah! You're NON-GARBAGE!"

"What does that mean?" Faye asked, looking up.

"It means you're not garbage!" Brayden answered.

"What am I then?" Faye asked, slightly confused. "Garbage or non-garbage?"

"Non-garbage!" Brayden responded. "So lie on the ground and feel like non-garbage! 'Cause that's what I'm doing!" He slumped on the ground without waiting for instructions from Napstablook. He ended up falling asleep.

"Well... just copy your friend, I guess... and move when you want to stop..." Napstablook said. They lied on the ground as well. Everyone else copied them. They lied in a big circle, facing the ceiling. Melody stared at the ceiling. She eyed the eighth human, who was lying next to her. They gave her a smile.

"Hey," she whispered. "Forgive me if I disrupted your concentration, but I just wanted to say... thank you. Those performances were a lot of fun. I didn't know you had so much talent! Oh, and thanks for saving my life." Melody didn't think about what Percy had said. The murderer couldn't be them, right? They were a nice child.

The eighth human shrugged. They kept that smile on their fade.

Melody sighed. Suddenly, everything around her changed. The floor became like the galaxy: bright and colourful stars were everywhere. It was almost hypnotizing. She felt so tired looking at it, but also very sad. It looked like a piece of art her parents were obsessed with once.

"Sorry, again," Melody whispered, waking the eighth human. They didn't seem to mind. "But... I just thought of something sad, and... I wanted to... talk about it." The eighth human looked okay with it. "Thanks. Well, a while ago, you see, I used to live somewhere else. I used to go to this very fancy and very cool girls school! A finishing school, I believe it's called. It's how I learned my manners. I also did quite a lot of ballet. Anyway, this is... a bit of a story. My dance group had been practicing for this big show. I was so excited! It was going to be 'my thing'. But then..." She frowned. "My parents ruined everything."


	15. Melody's Integrity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The scene at the end there is for a buddy of mine on fanfiction.net, Jinx198, who wrote a chapter about my story in his Grouptale story, because I drew him a picture. 
> 
> Jinx's story: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12695160/1/Grouptale-An-Undertale-AU-Remake
> 
> My drawing: http://fav.me/dbwxx5a

~Melody~

Melody paraded around her house, quivering with excitement. Tonight was the night of the ballet concert - the one she had been practicing for. She raced up to her parents, grinning.

"You guys are gonna be there, right?" she asked. "You promise?"

"Remember your manners." Melody's dad reminded her.

"I know!" Melody chorused. "Well, will you two pretty please come to my concert? I'll try my very very best for you!"

"We'll be there!" Melody's brother yelled from the kitchen.

"Matthew! No yelling!" Melody's dad told his son off. Matthew rolled his eyes.

The time of the concert finally came. Melody stayed at school to rehearse. She was so excited she couldn't stop jumping.

"That's right," Melody whispered, cringing. "I was so childish. Yuck!" The eighth human gave her a look. "Oh! You're so rude!"

Melody was wearing her favourite clothing for the performance. Not only her family, but her best friend, Percy, was attending the performance. Percy was so strange, but he was Melody's best friend. She wouldn't judge him.

"It was all such a big night," Melody sighed. "I was nervous and excited. I couldn't wait for everyone to see the show."

"Percy!" Melody found her best friend sitting in the audience. He was with one of his babysitters. Melody had lost track of all the babysitters he had. But it didn't bother her. Percy adjusted his glasses. They were way too big for his face. As usual, he had a book tucked under his arm.

"Salutations," he greeted. "I was researching the colloquial language of performers. Saying 'good luck' is contradictory in the theater. Apparently it's bad luck. Instead, you must say 'break a leg'."

"What?" Melody asked, staring at Percy. "What's... collo... colloc..."

"Colloquial language," Percy answered. "In our tongue, it's used in ordinary or familiar conversation; informal language. It's idioms, dialects, argot, jargon. Slang."

"Oh," Melody replied. Percy was so confusing sometimes. "Anyway, thanks, Percy. I'm so happy you came! Are Mom and Dad and Matthew here yet?"

"No," Percy said. He bit his lip. "But don't lose hope. They should still come."

"I was upset, but Percy was right," Melody whispered. "There was still plenty of time."

Some time later, Melody's family still wasn't at the performance. Melody was getting worried and upset. They were coming, right? Percy still seemed hopeful. But the performance was nearing. Her family was running out of time. Melody hoped they were just late.

Melody frowned. "But nobody came." The words startled the genderless kid. Their eyes almost opened. "Are you okay?" The eighth human nodded. They gestured for her to continue. Melody nodded.

"Is my family here?" Melody asked her dance teacher. Her dance teacher frowned, creases appearing on her brow.

"Sorry, Melody," she apologized. "I haven't seen them all evening."

"But... they promised," Melody sniffled. She sounded upset. "They promised they would come."

"I'm sorry, I really haven't seen them," the dance teacher said, rubbing Melody's back. "But don't worry. Just get out there and enjoy yourself, sweetie, okay?"

"And so I tried," Melody whispered, taking a deep breath. "I danced with everything I could. I was so angry. I was almost blinded. I knew why they weren't there. They'd gone to some art show. They were always doing that. They didn't care about me. All they cared about was artwork."

Melody did a pirouette, finishing the routine everyone had been practicing. She panted. Stage lights were blaring down. Cheers filled the auditorium. She was filled with rage. But she understood. She knew what her parents wanted. She knew what she had to do.

"I thought I was doing the right thing," Melody sighed, shaking her head. "That was one of my very few mistakes."

Melody left the theater all by herself. She only took her ballet things. She didn't speak to Percy. He would just try to stop her. It was dark outside. Street lights and vehicles provided the most light. Melody looked around, wondering where she would go. Anywhere that wasn't here.

Melody went left, passing lots of buildings. She followed the bright street lights. She was going to get out of this place. Her family did not need her. Clearly they valued other things... like artwork.

Melody had heard about a mountain that wasn't too far from where she lived. She thought she could go there.

"Hmm?" Melody eyed the eighth human. "Yes, I did want to climb Mt. Ebott! How irresponsible of me. And yet... here I am. But I think all of us did at one point."

"Yeah, true..." Faye commented, eyeing them. "Please keep telling the story. It's very good."

"Faye! This talk doesn't involve you!" Melody grumbled.

"I think we're all listenin', pardner," Clover whispered.

"It's so sad!" Cody sniffled.

"Yeah, I wanna hear more as well..." Napstablook said. Melody almost forgot they were here.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'll continue."

Melody reached a road. There were lots of vehicles crossing it. Blinding lights and sounds almost faded Melody out of existence.

"Hee hee, faded." Faye giggled.

"Ugh." Melody groaned. "Now is not the time for bad name puns."

Melody gazed at the road. She didn't want to cross it. But she knew she had to. This was what she had to do.

"Melody." Percy appeared behind her. Melody jumped.

"Percy!" she shouted, eyeing him. "What're you doing here?"

"I followed you." Percy told her.

"Oh," Melody said, making a face. "That's not very nice, Percy. And I don't really want you to follow me. Unless it's on social media I guess."

"I was merely curious," Percy replied. His shoulder twitched. He was carrying more books than usual. "I wondered what you were doing, leaving the theater. I decided to investigate. And my results are astonishing! Melody... are you running away?"

"Yes," Melody answered. She had tears in her eyes. She started crying. The truth was clear. "I'm sorry, Percy. This is what I must do. My family doesn't love me anymore..."

Everyone gasped.

"Oh, Melody, did you really say that?" Cody asked. He sounded sad.

"Yes," Melody sighed. "That's what I thought. And maybe I still do."

"But Melody! Lots of people love you!" Cody retorted. He was grinning at her. Melody sighed. Cody was so nice. She was glad she was friends with him.

"Thanks, Cody," she replied. "But I think my story's a little different compared to yours."

"Everyone's got their own story," Faye commented. "I love stories."

"I prefer non-fiction." Percy said, adjusting his glasses.

"We already knew that, Perce." Clover said, giving him a glance.

"I'll continue," Melody said, folding her arms.

"Oh," Percy commented. He sounded dead inside. But he always did. There was a light breeze. Percy's black hair blew back in the wind. It was longer then. He stared at Melody. "Your family is at the theater. They came just after you left. They're looking for you."

"They are?" Melody asked. She sighed and took a deep breath. She put her hands on Percy's shoulders. "Percy, please... tell them I can't come back."

"Do you want to give up so easily?" Percy asked, stepping back. "Perseverance is the only way to survive this world. Giving up will not help you achieve anything. It will be your downfall. In other words... Melody, if you run away..." He paused. He gazed at the road. He suddenly sounded deadly serious. "You will die."

Everyone gasped again. They all looked at Percy. Then at Melody.

"Yes, I did say that." Percy told them. Melody took a deep breath. She'd been so shocked when he had said that. What had he meant? The seriousness in his tone still sent chills down her spine.

"How do you know?" Melody asked. The sound of cars almost drowned out her squeak. Percy had never sounded like that before.

"You do not know what you are doing," Percy answered. "And... somehow, something feels wrong about all this. It's more than a mere 'gut feeling'. It feels like something will genuinely happen. I have no on-paper evidence to support this theory. I am only saying what I feel. And what I feel is very... I hate to say it, strong."

"Percy..." Melody stared at him. "I..." She looked at the road. She started crying. She just couldn't take it anymore. It was killing her. It seems what she felt was very 'strong' too. "I'm sorry." She turned around and hugged him. Percy stiffened up. He seemed uncomfortable as Melody cried into his sweater. "I'm so sorry for everything. You're right. Perseverance... what does that mean? 'Perseverance'?"

"Perseverance is persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success." Percy answered. Melody stared at him with a blank look. "It's never giving up."

"It sounds like your name," Melody laughed. "And my parents said I have something else... what was it, in... inte... integrity?"

"Integrity," Percy replied. "The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Yes, you seem to have a lot of that." Melody smiled at Percy. They didn't hug a lot, despite being best friends. All those feelings made Percy anxious. A lot of things made him anxious. Melody didn't mind a whole lot. But sometimes, when she needed comfort, she felt alone. She did feel so lonely sometimes, despite having friends and family...

Like she was the only one who had any integrity.

"Well, let's not hang around here all day," she said, still wiping tears from her eyes. "Come, Percy Verance! I've got to go and see my family."

"The end," Melody said, waving her arms. Everyone cheered. Even Napstablook. They said 'ooooooo'.

"What a nice ending!" Cody cheered. He was crying.

"Well done, pardner." Clover told Melody, giving the ballet dancer a rub on the head. Melody fixed her bun. The eighth human was smiling at her. It seemed they enjoyed the story. Melody was happy about that, since they were the only one who was originally supposed to listen. Faye was smiling as well. Percy looked a little flustered. Brayden was still asleep. It seemed he had been sleeping for the whole story.

Melody sighed. She still remembered when his mom asked her to be friends with him. Of course his mom asked Melody! Melody was responsible. She was class captain, the teacher's pet. So she wasn't surprised. But at the same time, she was. No one had asked her to be anyone's friend before. But she accepted the request. Brayden's mom had asked Melody to at least be friends with him for a little while, if it didn't bother Melody. His mom also mentioned something about a girl dying and an abusive father. And something else about some other girl who used to be Brayden's best friend but left without a trace. Melody realized later that this girl was Faye.

Melody hadn't really liked Brayden at first. She found him annoying and silly. He was loud and messy, unlike her other friend, Percy. But she eventually started to like him.

"And, well, here we are..." Melody muttered, staring at the ceiling. The world was very tiring. Melody still felt so lonely sometimes, even after meeting Clover, Cody, Faye and the genderless kid. She remembered when it was just her, Percy and a bunch of books. But no one understood her most important intentions, not even Percy. Even her family got confused. Melody realized she would've climbed up Mt. Ebott a long time ago if she didn't have her best friend there... Percy, despite everything, really did care.

For some reason, Melody felt very tired. Sleep was finally taking over. All that story-telling had worn her out. She closed her eyes...

Melody had a very strange dream. She was in a completely black room. There was no one there. It was just... an empty black room.

"Hello?" she called out. Then she noticed two figures in the distance. Melody walked towards them. Perhaps she could ask them a few questions. But as she approached, something felt... off about those two figures. Something... familiar, yet something strange. They were covered in shadows, so she couldn't exactly make them out. But she could hear them.

"You are a fool," one of the figures spat. They were speaking to the other figure. "This will not work. You will not only endanger yourself, but you will endanger everyone. This is incredibly selfish, cowardly, weak and something I'd expect from someone like you. If you really wish to stop the player, you will fight back." The other figure said something. The first figure sounded angry. "I understand that timelines with the player will not let you do this, but you don't understand. You will die. Everything and everyone you love will be gone."

"Excuse me?" Melody called out. "Can you two hear me? If you don't mind me asking, what are you talking about?"

"This is so low of you," the first figure grumbled. "Pathetic. I will not let you get away with something like this. I understand everyone suffers from their actions, but this isn't the way to deal with it. You aren't any better than them." The second figure said something else. "You will pay for this. Everyone will see what monster you are, with or without the player."

The first figure's voice became demonic. Their eyes were glowing red. Their figure began to melt like chocolate. "AFTER ALL, SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?!"

Melody woke up. She felt... strange. What was that dream all about? She shook her head. She felt funny. She looked at her friends. It seemed she wasn't the only one who had that dream. The kids realized this quickly.

"What was that dream?" Clover asked, shaking her head. "Who were those... people?"

"Yeah, those guys were WEIRD!" Brayden yelled. He was sitting up. "And why did that angry one melt at the end? Were they made out of chocolate or something?"

"It was a little scary!" Cody admitted, looking around.

"It was very strange," Melody commented. The kid had their head bowed. Faye looked like she was contemplating something.

"I think it was a memory of some sort," Percy explained. "A memory from two people. These two in question would be the figures we saw in the dream. But I don't know what their exact identities would be."

"Wow... it sounds like you guys are going through a lot..." Napstablook mumbled. "I'm sorry. I should leave you be."

"No, it's fine!" Cody assured them.

"This is your house, Napstablook," Melody pointed out. "We're the ones that should be leaving. We're being so rude!" She stood up. "Come on, guys. Let's find somewhere better than here."

"WHAT! I MISSED THE STORY!" Brayden grumbled, pouting. "Can you tell me it, Melody? Pleeeaaasssee?"

"I will, sometime." Melody promised. The group had just left Napstablook's house. They followed a path that went right. They came to a large, wooden pen holding four snails. Some were the strangest-looking things Melody had ever seen. Of course, Faye and Cody wanted to check them out. The kid and Clover joined them. The others went to speak to Napstablook.

"Awkward..." Nasptablook said. "I'm working right now..." They were floating in front of the pen.

"How'd you get there so fast?!" Brayden asked, looking stunned.

"Ghosts are intangible," Percy explained. "This power allows them to get to different locations extremely quickly."

"What does... intangerine mean?" Brayden asked, sounding confused.

"Intangible means Napstablook can go through walls." Melody explained. She eyed Percy, her brow raised. "That is what it means, right?" 

"Yep." Percy replied. Even Melody was stunned by how much Percy knew.

"Ohhhhhh." Brayden replied, looking thoughtful.

"I mean..." Napstablook continued. "Welcome to Blook Family snail farm."

"Are you the only one who works here? I haven't seen anyone else." Melody asked, raising her brow.

"... yeah," Napstablook replied. "I'm the only employee. This place used to get a lot of business... but our main customer disappeared one day... now it's just some hairy guy that shows up once a month."

"I'm sorry to hear about that." Melody commented, frowning.

"Can't you, like, hire anyone else?" Brayden asked.

"No one else wants to work here..." Napstablook said, sighing.

"I'll work here." Faye volunteered, stepping forward. She grinned at the snails. "The snails are cute."

"Faye! You can't work here! You're too young!" Melody exclaimed.

"I don't mind..." Napstablook said. "I'd like some extra help... if you wouldn't mind... but no pressure... it's okay if you change your mind... you didn't have to offer-"

"WE GET IT!" Brayden yelled.

"Well then..." Napstablook looked at Faye. "Your name is Faye, right...?" Faye nodded. "Well, Faye, you can start work whenever you want... you can be the executive of Blook Family Snail Farm... if that's okay with you..."

"It's okay," Faye replied, smiling. "As long as it's okay with you..."

"Oh, it is... I just wanted to know if it's okay with you..." Napstablook replied.

"It is. But if you change your mind, that's okay," Faye replied, walking up to the ghost. "I can be whatever you want."

"Oh... if you want to change your position, then I'm okay with that..." Napstablook replied. "If you want to leave, that's completely fine..."

"If you want me to leave, I can do that," Faye said. "It's not a big deal. I'm only here if you want-"

"WE. GET. IT!" Brayden yelled, waving his arms around.

"Hey, Faye, since you're the executive or whatever of this place, can you fix that snail race?" Clover asked, frowning. "It's not fair."

"Oh, you said a rhyme." Percy commented, looking excited. Yet he didn't sound excited.

"CAN WE GO NOW?!" Brayden asked, looking bored.

"I'm going to stay here to help Napstablook with the farm..." Faye told her friends. "Let me know when you get home."

"Hey! You're not staying here!" Brayden grumbled, glaring at her.

"Brayden, she has a job," Melody told him, folding her arms. "She has to."

"But we're a TEAM!" Brayden yelled.

"The whole point of a job, pardner, is to do it," Clover pointed out. She looked a little unsure. "I think so, anyway."

Cody gave Faye a hug. "Good luck, Faye!" The eighth human gave her a wave. The kids left Faye to work at the snail farm. Brayden wasn't very happy about it. Neither was Melody, since it was technically child labour, but then again, Faye did volunteer for it.

The kids hung around the outside of the entry to the garbage dump. They sat down on the blue floor, surrounded by cool air.

"Why are we sitting around?" Brayden asked, looking bored.

"We're planning," Percy reminded him. His notebook was out (oh for goodness' sake). "And thinking. What was that dream?" He looked at the kid. "Out of all of us, you have the most answers. You did have the dream, didn't you?" The kid paused for a moment. They looked... a little scared. They nodded. Percy's pencil shook in his grip for a brief second. "Do you know who those two people were?"

The eighth human nodded. They had a funny expression on their face.

"Then who were they?" Percy asked. Everyone was staring at the eighth human. Melody sat up. She was interested in this. The red human pulled out their stick. They began drawing images in the dirt.

"So it was Chara," Clover said, observing their drawings. "They were talking to..."

"You?" Percy finished. The kid nodded.

Brayden looked confused. "What the heck were they saying?"

"They were being really mean." Cody added. He gave the eighth child a sympathetic glance. The eighth human continued drawing images. They hesitated every few moments. Everyone watched them with intrigue. Soon, they'd finished drawing a whole story. The kids gathered around it and observed it.

"Alright, you and Chara were argurin' 'bout something," Clover commented thoughtfully, eyeing the kid. They gave her a nod of approval.

"How childish," Melody scoffed. Everyone stared at her. Melody rolled her eyes. She faced the genderless child. "You were trying to stop Chara entering this... timeline...? But they did anyway." The kid nodded. Melody felt a little ashamed about the question she was about to ask. "Tell me, what's a timeline?"

Percy looked excited. "A timeline is a display of a list of events in chronological order."

"THE HECK?!" Brayden asked, looking very confused.

"I think he's saying a timeline is a lot of events happening in order," Melody said. She gazed at Percy. "Is that right?" Percy nodded.

"There are lots of different timelines," he continued. "Timelines of this world, other worlds, and so on. What happens in this timeline will be different to other timelines." He was almost bouncing on his toes. Melody knew this sort of thing really got his gears turning. "But I digress. Why did you want to stop Chara entering this timeline in the first place?" He was staring at the eighth human. 

"They wanted to stop Chara because..." Cody observed the story. "Chara wants to do lots of really bad things." The kid nodded. Brayden stared at the story.

"They're... tryna destroy the world?" he asked. The kid nodded. Everyone gasped in horror. "Why?!"

"Chara has their own... personal reasons," Percy observed the drawings. "Apparently, using the combined power of our DETERMINATION, they want to connect this timeline to every other timeline and destroy them all at once."

"In other words, Chara wants to use us to kill everything." Melody realized. Shock horror raced through her. Everyone gazed at each other with wide eyes. They couldn't believe it. They were going to die.

"But... I thought Chara was... a hero!" Cody squeaked, shivering. "The... The Fallen Child!"

"It was all a lie, wasn't it?" Melody asked the kid. They nodded solemnly. "They only want to kill everyone."

"That's why you're here, ain't it?" Clover asked the genderless child. Her fists were clenched. She was giving them a serious glance. "You're protectin' everything 'cause... you're tryna stop Chara." The eighth human nodded. A look of determination was in their closed eyes. Somehow.

"WELL, WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU!" Brayden yelled, standing up. He punched the air. "CHARA DOESN'T SCARE ME! THEY'RE GONNA BE THE ONE THAT WILL DIE!"

"That's right," Clover agreed, patting the eighth human's shoulder. She gritted her teeth. "They're not gonna touch any of us. We'll make 'em PAY."

"They will not get away with this!" Melody agreed, standing up. She eyed all of her friends. She suddenly felt determined. "Chara is a liar! They lack so much integrity it hurts my SOUL!" She wiped her eyes. "If we work together we can stop them! Ugh, that sounded so cheesy. But it's true." The genderless child nodded. They gave her a smile. She returned it. "Someone get Faye. We've got a lot of work to do if we don't want Chara to win."

...

~EXTRA NON-CANONICAL SCENE~

"I don't know why, but it feels like we just met a bunch of kids from an alternate timeline," Faye said, looking curious. The kid looked down.

"That's ludicrous." Percy replied.

"Yes," Melody agreed. "We're the only humans down here. What're you going on about?"

"Tibia honest, I really don't know." Faye said, winking. She made finger guns at someone. "Right, John?"

"Faye, who in tarnation are you talkin' to?" Clover asked, raising her brow.

"Yeah, who's John?!" Brayden asked defensively.

"Beats me," Faye replied. She gave Brayden a look. "But I didn't know you were so ticklish, Brayden."

"What... what're you talking about?!" Brayden asked, folding his arms. Everyone was staring at him now. "H-HEY! STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!"

"Let's get him." Clover said, folding her arms with a grin. Brayden yelped as everyone chased after him.

"Thanks Jerod." Faye sighed.


	16. Mini chapter: Gaster

Faye, holding an umbrella, walked all the way back to the bridge where the kids had their first Undyne encounter. Something about this area seemed special to her. She didn't really know what, but she could just tell. She didn't want to bring anyone else with her while she did this. This was something she just wanted to see for herself.

At the end of the purple bridge, shrouded in darkness, was a young monster that looked strikingly similar to Monster Kid. Except they were grey and their eyes were completely white. Faye's grip tightened on her umbrella. She held it behind her back.

"Have you thought about a world where everything is the same... except you don't exist?" the monster asked.

"... maybe." Faye replied. She had thought about some uncanny things, especially since before the eighth human came, she could...

"Everything functions perfectly without you..." the monster continued. "Ha, ha... the thought terrifies me."

"Not everything would function perfectly." Faye mumbled. She held up the umbrella.

"An umbrella...?" the monster asked. They looked surprised. "But it's not raining."

"Sometimes you need shelter, even when it's not raining." Faye said. That was one of her aunt's quotes. One of her favourites.

"Ha, ha..." the monster laughed. "You know, that does make me feel a little better about this. Thank you. Please forget about me. Please don't think about this anymore."

"Okay," Faye said, obviously lying. She knew she would be thinking about this quite a lot. She already did. She walked away, briefly glancing back. My friends will be talking about Chara now, she thought. She'd had the dream as well. But she didn't feel the need to talk about it. She knew enough.

"That's also why I got a job at the snail farm," Faye added. "Not because I don't care about my friends, but because I already know what they're talking about. I had dreams of those things back home." She tilted her head. "What? You want to know more?" She shook her head. "You'll have to be patient. You don't find out for at least ten or more chapters." She put up the umbrella. "Here we go. I know, it's not raining. But sometimes you just need shelter."

The kids were standing around a door in a hallway. A hallway that wasn't there before.

"What's this all about?" Clover asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yes, as we did not see this door before." Percy said, looking up from his notes.

"Obviously, Percy," Melody sighed. She looked at the eighth human. "Do you know anything about what's behind there?" They shrugged.

"OH COME ON!" Brayden yelled. "You told us about Chara!"

"I think this is about a dream they had, right?" Cody asked the eighth human. They nodded.

"I love dreams," Faye sighed. She rambled, "They're so weird, but-"

"NOPE!" Brayden interrupted, holding up a hand. "LET'S GO IN!" He strolled up to the door.

"Welp, no fourth-wall breaking secrets for you then." Faye mumbled. She ignored the reivewers groaning in frustration and disappointment. The eighth human grabbed Brayden's arm. They wagged a finger.

"They're right, Brayden," Melody said. "They've got something to... 'say' after all."

The eighth human pointed at the door. They held up their stick and drew more images on the ground.

"Gaster was the Royal Scientist, then he died?" Clover asked, raising her brow. What even was a royal scientist?

"Gaster fell into his own creation," Percy translated. "He supposedly speaks in hands..." He kept writing notes. "He spread across time and space... and... well, who knows what happened next."

"How did he fall into his own creation?" Cody asked. He felt sorry for this Gaster character. The eighth human shrugged. Even they didn't know.

"Can he be saved?" Clover asked, raising her brow. Brayden perked up. The eighth human bowed their head. They looked like they were about to verbally speak. They held back at the last moment. They just wrote on the ground, 'trust me, I've tried'. It was the first time they'd actually used words, aside from the very start of the story when they said 'Chara,', if any of you remember that.

"I do." Faye mumbled, even though she wasn't even there.

"Let's go in already!" Brayden yelled, staring at the door. "I wanna see this Gaster guy!" The eighth human opened the door. They looked back one more time.

"I don't even know if this man is Gaster." they said. Just kidding, they wrote it on the ground with their stick. Ha, you were fooled. Anyway.

The kids entered a tiny room. There was a man standing there. If you could call it a man. He had a large, white head attached to a cylindrical black body. His eyes and mouth were gaping holes. A crack came up from his left eye, and from his bottom... lip... I'm lazy, I'm not googling what else to put there. His hands had holes in them. Overall he was a pretty creepy dude.

He seemed to be staring at the eighth human. He muttered something that definitely wasn't English. The eighth human's hair was covering their face. They looked anxious about something.

"HEY!" Brayden yelled at the man. "What's your deal?"

"Brayden!" Melody exclaimed, pulling her friend back. The man twitched, as if at any moment he would fade out of existence.

"Excuse me," Cody walked up to him. "Are you... Gaster?" Suddenly, Cody's vision turned white. He put his hands over his head, dropping his frypan. He didn't know what was going on, but he didn't like it. He couldn't see any of his friends. Only a completely white room.

"Hello?" Cody asked, looking around. Fear crawled up his spine. He heard a creepy voice. Hands symbols appeared above his head.

"ENTRY NUMBER SEVENTEEN," someone said. "DARKER, DARKER YET DARKER. THE DARKNESS KEEPS GROWING." Cody shivered. He didn't have his frypan either. He couldn't defend himself too well. He looked around, holding up his arms. "THE SHADOWS CUTTING DEEPER. PHOTON READINGS NEGATIVE. THIS NEXT EXPERIMENT SEEMS VERY, VERY INTERESTING." There was a pause. "WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK?"

"Is that you, Gaster?" Cody asked. He shook his head. "I... I don't understand!" The message just kept repeating. Disturbing sounds played in the background. Cody didn't know what to do. Then he realized with a gasp. It was so plainly obvious.

"Are you stuck, Gaster?" Cody asked. "Are you... lonely? You... you must've been stuck here for a really long time!" He paused. "If that's the case, then... I wanna help you out! No one deserves to be stuck in this place!" He stood on his toes. He was filled with DETERMINATION.

"What if some people just can't be saved?" someone asked behind him. "Some people are meant to stay dead. That is all."

"But... that's not fair!" Cody protested. He turned around and faced the voice. It looked like the eighth human, but they were black and white. They weren't looking at him in the eye, either. "He's not gone forever, is he? We can still do something!"

"Ha, ha..." the child laughed. "You are adorable. That's just what Frisk said. But even they - the notoriously determined one - failed to save Gaster. I would like to see you try."

"Frisk...?" Cody asked. Why was that name so familiar? It didn't matter right now. "Well, um, whoever you are, I'm going to do something anyway! I..." He made a face. He felt even more determined. And kind too. He held up a fist. "I don't care what you say! Everyone deserves a second chance!"

The child laughed again. "Very well. Try as you might, Cody Luckgreen. Try as you might."

"I will!" Cody promised, placing a hand over his heart. He stared at them. "Who are you?" But before the child could answer, he disappeared from the void, returning to the real world. The child reverted to themself.

"Everyone deserves a second chance, indeed," Chara mumbled. "We will see about that."


	17. tEMMIE, Monster Kid and Undyne (again)

~Percy~

Percy was excited, elevated, animated, enlivened, thrilled, whatever you call it. He had tons of synonyms for 'excited' in his dictionary. And antonyms too. He hadn't been this stirred since Mew Mew Kissy Cutie season 10 was released. You may ask why he is so excited. Well, if you couldn't tell, Percy had fallen down a mountain with his friends and some crazy yellow kid that took his notebook.

At first, Percy was terrified, as any normal child should be. He would've had a panic attack if he didn't have his notebook. A lot of people didn't know about his... conditions. They always thought it was weird how he was so attached to his notes. They didn't understand that without them... Percy just couldn't budge. He felt lonely. Afraid. He felt like he was stuck in a Poké Ball without them. They were his only coping method. And the more afraid he felt, the more excessively he took notes.

Percy couldn't stand the thought of having a breakdown in front of his friends. He didn't want to alarm anyone with his awful anxiety.

But now, the kids had a motivation. They were trying to stop the Fallen Angel, Chara - who wasn't much of an angel after all. Percy suggested they get research about Chara - and Faye seemed to know a place. She'd heard about it while she was 'working' at the snail farm. It was some junk sale run by an old monster. The monster who ran it was really old and knew a lot about history. Percy just couldn't stop twitching. Research and anime made him so giddy.

Faye had 'overheard' some of their conversation, so she knew what was going on. Percy liked Faye, even though he found her kind of weird sometimes. But she was quiet, and he respected that. She also looked like Chitoge from Nisekoi, even if she wasn't very similiar to her. And of course, he totally shipped Fayeden. I mean, he came up with the ship name for goodness' sake. Plus, they reminded him of Natsu and Lucy from Fairy Tail. [A/N: I ship them as well XD]

"We're gonna get 'em." Clover muttered darkly. Gotta catch 'em all, Percy hummed in his head. The kids were following the eighth human. They were going to a store surrounded by a wooden border. Percy gazed at Clover, clutching his precious notebook. She was pretty scary, but Percy had a lot of respect for her. She stood up for him once. And she let him play with her and Cody. Percy liked Cody, too. He was nice. And he respected Percy's boundaries. Percy liked anyone that respected his boundaries. And both siblings read some manga once, for Percy's sake.

"How long is this research crap gonna take?" Brayden asked, pouting. "I WANNA FIGHT CHARA!" Percy remembered he didn't like Brayden at all when Melody befriended him. He was loud, annoying, didn't give a dang about personal space and made Percy feel weird about his formerly long-ish hair and anime/manga obsession. But then again, a lot of people did. But above all, he was ruining Percy's friendship with Melody - once upon a time, his only friend. These days, Percy liked Brayden more. Probably because Brayden had his own best friend now and Percy had his.

"We can't just run into battle, Brayden." Melody snorted. Percy and Melody had known each other since forever. They'd been through a lot together, and not just in the Underground. Percy didn't like group things. He only played with the others because of Melody. She was bossy, a bit of a narcissist, but she was really nice. She chose to be his friend rather than be friends with the girls in her dancing group (and she liked some manga he liked). It made Percy feel special. A feeling he didn't feel much in his life.

His parents were never home and his babysitters never understood. What was he to do?

"Let's just go in, y'all." Clover said. The children entered the store. Percy stood next to the eighth human. He had been a little unsure about them until he found out why they were here. They were here to save the world. Percy now had a lot more respect for them. He still thought they were kind of weird, though. There was this feeling that'd been surrounding them...

"Woah there!" a voice called out. "I've got some neak junk for sale." It belonged to a tortoise monster with a white beard, wrinkled skin and an adventurer's hat. He was holding a microscope. He seemed rather aged.

"Whoa! It's a turtle!" Brayden exclaimed.

"Tortoise." Percy corrected. Brayden blew a raspberry at him. Clover glared at the boys. She turned to the tortoise monster.

"Tell us everythin' you know about the Fallen Child/Angel, turtle." she said, giving the tortoise the Fallen Child poster.

"Tortoise." Percy corrected. He had his pen and paper ready.

"Shut up, Perce," Clover mumbled, sounding serious.

"Clover!" Melody exclaimed. "You can't say that!" Clover glared at her, but didn't respond.

"You'll find my name's Gerson," the tortoise chuckled. He eyed the poster. "Well well well. I don't find it surprising you seven wanna know about the only other fallen human! How'd you seven fall down 'ere, anyway?"

Faye began, "Well-"

"Not now," Clover interrupted. She banged her fist on her palm. "Speak, Gerson."

"Clover, this isn't an interrogation," Melody scoffed. She eyed Percy with her brow raised. "That's what it's called, right?"

Percy nodded. He added, "It's most likely the stick-wielding human knows a lot."

"This was YOUR idea!" Clover grumbled, glaring at the others. She'd dropped her mock-cowboy accent. Percy had a feeling she was very serious.

"Well, if you kids are done arguing..." Gerson took a deep breath. "I'll tell you what I know. This human fell down a while ago. They lived with the royals, I believe. They loved monsters. They loved us so much they got their SOUL absorbed by another monster and went to the surface to find SOULs to break the barrier. But their plan failed. They came back Underground to die. But before they died, they promised they'd come to life again someday and free us all."

"But they ain't doin that..." Clover grumbled.

"And we already know all that crap!" Brayden complained. He frowned. "I think we do."

"Who was that monster that absorbed their SOUL?" Percy asked. He had taken as many notes as he could. There were so many notes to take. But he wanted to find out everything about Chara. He would be able to defeat them like that.

"I've got no idea, kiddo," Gerson chuckled. "Everything about that human is a complete mystery. Wa ha ha!"

Clover looked thoughtful. "They must've tried to hide themselves and all their info..." she spat in realization. The eighth human nodded.

"What a freaking WIMP!" Brayden yelled, stamping the ground. Percy took more notes. This was looking very, very interesting... that reminded him of that Gaster character for some reason... what had happened to Cody?

"They're not a 'wimp'," Gerson said, looking confused. "They're the opposite! A hero. I dunno what you kids are talking about."

"They've tricked everyone." Melody scoffed in disgust. The eighth human nodded, looking ashamed.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Gerson," Cody said politely. He held out some gold. "And I'll take some of those crab apples, please."

The kids left the store. They were headed right. Percy walked next to the eighth human.

"I have lots of questions, much like our accomplices," Percy said, holding out his notebook. The eighth human nodded, eyeing him with interest. "Why didn't Chara destroy the world when they were alive and instead waited for us?" The eighth human made a face. "Oh, yes, I remember now. They need our determination - so they need us. What is that power - determination - anyway?" The eighth human made more strange expressions. "The will to live... okay... I see. And it makes you very powerful..."

Percy paused. He eyed the eighth human. "Are you and Chara from different timelines? Why would you need to enter this timeline to destroy all timelines? Couldn't you do it in your timelines?" The eighth human made a few more motions. "The... player... stopped you? Who is the player?" The eighth human hesitated. They shook their head. "Why wouldn't I want to know?"

The eighth human ignored Percy. They looked away, their shoulders hunched. Percy couldn't understand their actions. It was just a simple question. He asked them another question. "How do you plan on stopping Chara?"

Their answer was simple.

"I see," Percy replied. "They will rise when we get past ASGORE. They will try to take our determination. But we won't let them. Instead, we'll use our determination..." He paused. "We'll use our determination to erase them from every timeline. They will no longer exist."

"Hurt, beaten, and fearful for our lives, we surrendered to the humans," Percy read a sign on the wall. He opened his notebook. He had different sections for all the many things in the Underground. "Seven of their greatest magicians sealed us underground with a magic spell. Anything can enter through the seal, but only beings with a powerful SOUL can leave."

"Like us?" Cody asked.

"Exactly," Percy replied. "We are incredibly powerful." They kids crossed some waterfalls. Beside them were echo flowers, glowing in dark patches. Percy read some more signs. "There is only one way to reverse this spell. If a huge spell, equivalent to seven human SOULs, attacks the barrier... it will be destroyed." He almost made a face. "Chara must know about this. Seven is some kind of sacred number. They want to use our seven SOULs to destroy every timeline."

"Seven's a lucky number." Clover commented. She shrugged. "I know all about luck, pardner."

"Your name is Clover," Percy replied. "And four-leaf clovers are said to be lucky."

"You told me that ages ago, Perce." Clover replied, but she didn't sound bothered.

"I'm aware," Percy replied. "But that fact is one of my favourites. It reminds me of you because I feel I was 'lucky' to have met you." He almost laughed. He didn't say things like that very often.

"Aww, thanks pardner." Clover said, giving Percy a noogie. He held onto his glasses.

"Please don't touch me..." he mumbled quietly, his voice squeaking. [A/N: Clovercy anyone? We'll see XD]

"WATER!" Brayden yelled. He was swimming in some water connected to a waterfall. Little shiny sparks were flying around his head.

"We are not having another water fight!" Melody yelled, crossing her arms. Percy walked through the water and approached another sign. He adjusted his glasses. These signs were hard to read.

"But this cursed place has no entrances or exits," he read. "There is no way a human could come here. We will remain trapped down here forever."

"But humans came anyway." Faye commented, biting her lip.

"So they did," Percy said. He observed his pen. It was purple, his favourite colour. "We should call Papyrus. It's unlikely, but he may know something about Chara."

"How many freaking people do we have to talk to?!" Brayden whined. "Why can't we fight Chara NOW!?"

"And also, I don't want to call Papyrus." Melody snorted, turning away. Percy was fascinated by Sans and Papyrus. They were living skeletons for goodness' sake. He hadn't been so invested since Yuri on Ice came out. He wanted to know everything about them, but Sans didn't answer any of his questions and Papyrus didn't really understand. So Percy was ticked off. He hoped Papyrus would answer his Chara questions.

Before anyone could call anyone, however, the kids found themselves in combat with Special Enemy Temmie. Special Enemy Temmie appears here to defeat you! She was a cat-like creature with a mop of black hair, the most fabulous face you will ever see ever and dog-ears.

"Is she a cat? Or a dog?" Brayden asked, staring at Temmie.

"I dunno what she is." Clover commented, raising her brow.

"I think she's adorable..." Faye commented, smiling. Cody nodded in agreement. The eighth human looked unsure. TEMMIE 7 ATK, -20 DEF. Loves to pet cute humans. But you're allergic!

"awwAwa cute!" Temmie exclaimed in the worst grammar Percy had ever seen. "(pets u all)" She extended a long white paw.

"Are we all allergic to that?" Clover asked. The eighth human shook their head. They pointed at themself.

"Only you're allergic to that." Percy said, eyeing them. They nodded. They swiftly avoided the paw. They didn't look too worried about their allergies. They looked like they didn't want anyone else to worry either. So Clover didn't have to complain about allergies this time.

"Hi, Temmie!" Faye waved at the Temmie.

"Hello!" Cody greeted, sounding cheerful.

"HEY!" Brayden yelled, waving.

"That's not how you greet people, Brayden!" Melody exclaimed, glaring at him. He glared back.

"hOI!" Temmie squealed. "i'm TEMMIE!" A four-legged being with Temmie's face on it attacked the kids. No one had to worry about it aside from the eighth human. But they didn't either because they're the best dodger you've ever seen ever. After that, the kids spared Temmie. They continued.

The children came to an area that was completely black, aside from a glowing path. There were glowing pillars with plants on top. It was even prettier than the other places. Squeaky mushrooms were alighting the paths. Percy realized this was all a puzzle. He got very giddy.

He began, "Okay, we have to-" The eighth human kid was already solving it. Percy looked away. "Nevermind." The children followed the eighth human as they navigated the black area. On the way, they ran into Moldsmal and Moldbygg. Percy could relate to Moldbygg on a personal level. He hated it when people entered his personal space. After the battle, the children dialed Papyrus.

"WHAT? MUSHROOMS?" Papyrus asked. "CAN YOU EAT THEM?!"

"I've heard eating wild mushrooms is dangerous." Cody commented, tapping his chin.

"It is," Percy replied. "Wild mushrooms tend to be toxic."

"WHAT?!" Papyrus asked, sounding atonished. "ARE YOU SURE YOU CAN'T EAT THEM?!"

"Nope." Percy replied.

"Pretty weird lookin' anyway..." Clover said, eyeing the mushrooms. She shook her head. "Papyrus. We gotta ask ya somethin'. D'ya know anything about the Fallen Angel?"

"AN ANGEL FELL DOWN?" Papyrus asked. "WHERE?"

"I was expecting something like that." Melody snorted. She frowned. "Hang up."

"HOLD ON!" Papyrus yelled. "I THINK UNDYNE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A FALLEN ANGEL!"

"What did she say, Papyrus?" Cody asked, looking excited. Everyone was staring at the phone. Melody was rolling her eyes.

"SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO HELP THE ANGEL 'RISE' OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT," Papyrus responded. "BY HUNTING DOWN ALL OF YOU! NYEH! HOW ADORABLE! UNDYNE WANTS TO SAVE AN ANGEL!" He laughed nervously. "EVEN IF IT MEANS HUNTING DOWN ALL OF YOU..." He paused. "WELL, ENJOY THE MUSHROOMS!" He hung up.

"So we need to speak to Undyne next." Clover said, folding her arms.

"YEAH! WE GET TO FIGHT UNDYNE!" Brayden cheered. Everyone stared at him. "WHAT! I WANNA KICK HER FISHY BUTT!"

Percy was nervous. Undyne had done some real damage. She was dangerous, and Percy didn't like the odds. But the eighth human looked determined. And if anyone could be motivational, it was them. So he hoped that when they did face Undyne, they didn't have a bad time. He grinned at the rhyme.

"What the heck is this?!" Brayden asked. The kids followed the eighth human off-course. They entered a blue village full of Temmies. Percy had seen anime weirder, but somehow he was still surprised. Temmies were hanging around on the floor, being cute. Faye and Cody were cooing over them. They got to pat a few of them. Clover and the eighth human went to the 'tem shop'.

"hOI!" Percy read the sign with no enthusiasm. "welcom to... TEM VILLAGE!" He groaned.

"This is the weirdest place I've ever been to," Melody scoffed. She gazed at Percy. "I thought that manga you showed me, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure or whatever it's called was weird. But this?"

"JoJo is weird," Percy replied. "This place is weird, strange, odd, uncanny, eerie and whatever other word I can find in my dictionary. I've never seen anything quite like it."

"Okay, these guys are kind of cute..." Brayden said, grinning at the Temmies. He made a face. "I'm GONNA PICK ONE UP!" The Temmies looked excited. Brayden picked one up.

"awwU!" she exclaimed. "humans... such a... CUTE!" She made a face. "bUT this one smells like sweatsss! tem no like SWEattss!" She jumped out of Brayden's hands with a look of disgust.

"Wh..." Brayden sat there for a few moments. He frowned. "I'M NOT SWEATY!"

"Yes, you are," Melody replied, crossing her arms.

"Am not!" Brayden yelled, storming over to her.

"Are too." Melody replied, glaring at him.

"Am NOT!" Brayden yelled, looking ticked off.

"Are too!" Melody said, narrowing her eyes.

"Guys!" Cody ran over, holding a Temmie. "Don't fight! It doesn't matter anyway."

"Oh, OF COURSE they love YOU, Cody!" Brayden grumbled. "Everyone loves you!"

"I'm sorry..." Cody said, looking away in shame.

"Ignore him, he's jealous." Melody told Cody. Brayden looked annoyed. Percy left them alone and went to see what was happening with the eighth human and Clover. He passed Faye on the way. She was telling stories about human life to a bunch of Temmies. She waved at him. He nodded back. Then he entered the Tem Shop. However, the eighth human and Clover were just leaving. They were holding a ton of money and something called 'temy ARMOUR!'.

"What's all that?" Percy asked, raising his brow.

"We did some bargainin'," Clover answered. "We bought some... 'Temmie Armour'... it's really strong, the stick kid says. It was also stupid expensive. They could afford it somehow. If we're gonna fight Chara, we'll need it. Also, remember the Dog Residue?"

"Oh, yes," Percy said, frowning. "The little white dog took the artifact then gave some to us. I remember."

"Yeah," Clover said, frowning. "The stick kid filled up their inventory with it and sold a bunch to the tems. I helped out a little. We made a ton of money. Even though the stick kid already has tons of money." The eighth human shrugged sheepishly. "They said we could have all the money we made."

"I see," Percy said. He eyed the money, then the eighth human. "Thank you for your assistance." They nodded.

"Let's get outta here," Clover said, making a face. "We've gotta go fight Undyne, right? And also, this place gives me the creeps." She shivered. The three kids walked over to the others. Something funny had happened.

Faye was hugging an angry and very confused Brayden. Melody was covering her face, protecting herself from Brayden's hands. Cody was sitting on the ground, smiling nervously. The kids were covered in Temmies. It was like a cloud made of Temmie madness.

"You leave for three seconds and that happens." Percy mumbled.

"What in tarnation is going on?" Clover asked, staring at the four. The eighth human started giggling. They fell to the ground in tears of laughter. Clover raised her brow. Brayden started laughing as well. So did Cody. Clover soon joined in, snortling. Faye giggled into her hand. Some of the tems started as well. Percy and Melody stared at each other. Percy would call their shared stare of sympathy both alteration and a bonding moment.

The kids left Temmie Village. They left the glowing mushroom area and headed right. They came to another dark room full of crystals. It was even prettier.

"Without candles or magic to guide them, the monsters used crystals to navigate." Percy read a sign. He was liking all this lore. The eighth human knew what to do. They touched a blue lantern beside them; the path lit up. Everyone gasped.

"That's so cool!" Cody admired.

"Even though it's still so dark." Melody grumbled, observing the environment.

"It's another puzzle," Percy said, eyeing the crystals. "We need to-" The eighth human was already solving the puzzle. They knew exactly which way to go. "Oh for goodness' sake." The children followed the eighth human. The path grew dark. Until the eighth human switched a lamp on; the path lit up again. On the way, the children encountered Woshua and Moldbygg. The eighth human did their lovely flirting. Percy knew about flirting, only because he'd seen so much anime. He was disappointed none of the monsters got a nose bleed. But then again, the eighth human wasn't the most attractive person. [A/N: He means sexually. They are a child after all...]

Woshua gave the children another clean.

"HA! NOW I'M DEFINITELY NOT SWEATY!" Brayden yelled, blowing a raspberry at Melody.

"You'll get sweaty again sooner or later." she replied. Brayden huffed. After the battle concluded, the kids kept following the path. Since the eighth human knew the way, it was very quick. The children came to a very dark area with only a mere waterfall. They trudged through the water. Brayden splashed everyone again. Percy stepped away. Doing fun activities like water-fights stressed him out.

Luckily for him, it was too dark so no one knew what they were doing. The fight ended quickly. They got to the end of the room, where there was an echo flower.

"I don't have any good feelings 'bout this." Clover commented, furrowing her brow.

"I'll fight whatever the heck comes at us!" Brayden said, making a punching motion with his fists. The eighth human didn't look concerned.

"I hope it's not Chara." Melody commented, making a face.

"Chara won't come until we get past ASGORE, right?" Faye asked, staring at Percy. He'd explained to everyone else the whole Chara-rising-after-ASGORE thing.

"Correct," he replied. He turned to the Echo Flower. Even he felt a little anxious.

"Behind you." it said in a slow, sinister tone. Undyne was there, a mad glare in her eyes. She stepped forward, her heavy armour crashing against the ground.

"YEAH!" Brayden cheered. "LET'S FIGHT, FISH-" He was interrupted by the eighth human holding him back. Clover was glaring at Undyne. Everyone else looked a little unsure.

"Seven." Undyne spat. "Seven human souls. Seven human souls... with the power of seven human souls, the Fallen Angel will rise. With that power, the Fallen Angel will shatter the barrier. They will finally take back the Surface from humanity... and give the humans back the pain and suffering we have endured."

"That's not their plan." Clover interrupted, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, they wanna kill everyone!" Brayden added.

"They're terrible." Melody agreed.

"According to dream calculations, they will, indeed, destroy every timeline in existence." Percy said, holding out his notes.

"SHUT UP!" Undyne yelled, sounding enraged. "You humans don't understand anything!"

"You can't say that!" Melody retorted. "That's a bad word! And you're the one who doesn't understand anything, fish-breath!" Percy was surprised by the amount of sass Melody had just used. It was over 9000. The author doesn't have any regrets ;)

"YEAH, MELODY!" Brayden cheered. "SHOW HER WHO'S BOSS!"

"Uh, Melody!" Cody squeaked. Undyne was gripping a glowing spear. She was aiming it at the kids.

"I'll show you who's boss!" Undyne yelled, racing forward with her spear.

"Brace y'allselves." Clover said, grabbing her pistol. However, Monster Kid got in the way. It turns out they were hiding in some sea grass.

"Yo!" they squeaked. "You guys did it! Undyne is RIGHT in front of you! You've got front row seats to her fight!" They looked around. They sounded confused. "... wait. Who's she fighting?" Undyne grabbed Monster Kid's cheek and dragged them away. "H-hey! You aren't gonna tell my parents about this, are you?"

The human kids looked at each other.

"Well... that was interesting." Cody chuckled anxiously.

"I think we're in for a bad time." Faye mumbled, looking down.

The children followed a hall that led through some water. Little golden flecks were floating around. Echo flowers were everywhere. It couldn't get anymore beautiful. They listened to some echo flowers talk about wishes. Percy found a sign at the end of the hall.

"However... there is a prophecy," he read the sign. "The Angel... The One Who Has Seen The Surface..." He paused. "They will return. And the underground will go empty."

"I dang hope that's not Chara." Clover commented, folding her arms.

"It most likely is," Percy said. "They are known as the 'Fallen Angel' after all."

"They won't be the 'Fallen Angel' forever!" Brayden yelled. "I'LL BEAT THE CRAP OUTTA THEM!" He put his arms around Percy and Melody. Both of them cringed and leaned away.

"Also, guys, I'm not sure if this is important, but Flowey's behind us," Faye commented. "He's whispering into an echo flower." Flowey was indeed there, only for a brief moment. He disappeared before anyone could say anything.

"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Brayden yelled. Flowey didn't return. "STUPID FLOWER! I WANTED TO BEAT HIM UP!"

"I think we all wanna do that, pardner." Clover sighed.

"What do you think he said?" Cody asked, biting his lip.

"Probably something mean," Melody answered, folding her arms. "It's best if we just ignore it. That's what my parents would want me to do." The eighth human nodded in agreement. They left the hall, following the path. They came to a long bridge. There were stalactites and stalagmites coming from the ceiling and floor. Percy didn't trust bridges anymore. Yet, they had to walk on it anyway.

He hoped when they got past Chara and returned home, he could sit down in front of his TV and binge Naruto for the millionth time. An anime about ninjas and nine-tailed foxes somehow relaxed him.

"Yo!" Monster Kid croaked behind them. The kids turned around and stared at them.

"Hello!" Cody greeted.

"Thank you for saving us." Melody told them.

"Saving you from what?" Monster Kid asked, sounding confused.

"Undyne!" Clover answered.

"I didn't save you from Undyne," Monster Kid said. They shook their head. "You weren't even in any danger, right...? I was just so excited to see her!" They laughed it off. "Anyway, yo... I know I'm not supposed to be here..."

"I was just going to say." Melody said, furrowing her brow.

"But..." Monster Kid sighed. "I wanna ask you guys something."

"What?" Brayden asked, cocking his head. Monster Kid hesitated. Brayden looked impatient. "WHAT?!" Melody smacked his arm.

"Man, I've never had to ask anyone this before..." Monster Kid took a deep breath. "Umm... yo... you guys are all human, right?"

"THAT'S US!" Brayden yelled like it was a celebration.

"We are indeed human." Percy said, his grip tightening on his notebook.

"Haha," Monster Kid still looked anxious. "Man! I knew it!" They paused. "I know it now, I mean. Undyne told me, um... 'stay away from those humans'. So, like, um... I guess that makes us enemies or something."

"Oh no!" Cody said, looking horrified.

"DANGIT!" Brayden yelled. Faye looked away in sadness. Clover tensed. Percy did as well. The eighth human didn't look surprised. Melody simply frowned.

"But I kinda stink at that, haha," Monster Kid looked unsure. "Yo, say something mean so I can hate you guys?" They pleaded, "Please?"

"I'll punch you if you want," Brayden offered, putting his fist in his palm. "I'M ALWAYS BEATING UP MY ENEMIES!"

"No, no violence," Melody said, stepping forward. She stared at Monster Kid. "I appreciate your use of manners. But I won't be mean to you. I'll be honest." She took a deep breath. It seemed she was going to say something intense.

"No! No being mean!" Cody intervened. "We don't have to be enemies, do we?" He laughed nervously. "We can still be friends..."

"Yo... so you're saying I have to do it?" Monster Kid asked, their lip quivering.

"No! No, no..." Cody began. "I'm saying no one has to do it!" He gave Monster Kid a hug. Monster Kid looked surprised. Percy wasn't surprised. Cody was always hugging people. Percy wished he had that kind of compassion.

"Man... I'm... I'm such a turd..." Monster Kid whimpered into Cody's apron. Cody patted their back. They released the hug. "I'm... I'm gonna go home now..." They ran off, but they tripped halfway. They were hanging off the side of the bridge. "Yo, w-w-wait! Help! I tripped!"

"FISH-BUTT AT 3 O'CLOCK!" Brayden yelled. Undyne was on the other side of the bridge.

"I don't care 'bout her." Clover grumbled. She raced over to Monster Kid. "Don't worry pardner, I gotcha!" She leaned down, grabbing onto their body. She pulled them up, saving them. The other kids glared at Undyne.

"GET OVER HERE AND FIGHT ME!" Brayden yelled, clenching his fists. Monster Kid walked in front of him. They faced Undyne.

"Y... y... yo... dude..." they said, attempting to be brave. "If... if y-you wanna hurt my friends... you're gonna have to get through me, first." Undyne paused. She stepped backwards. She disappeared into the darkness.

"YEAH!" Brayden yelled. He gave Monster Kid a noogie. "SHOW HER WHO'S BOSS!" Monster Kid blushed.

"She's gone," they said. "Yo," They eyed Clover. "You... really saved my skin. Especially you, human with the cowboy hat. Guess we don't have to be enemies after all, haha. We'll just have to be friends instead." Cody cheered. Monster Kid sighed. "... man, I should REALLY go home... I bet my parents are worried sick about me." They turned and walked off. They looked back. "Later, dudes!" Then they left.

The children approached a large, dramatic-looking cliff. It was made of tons of rocks pointing towards the ceiling. The ceiling was a pale red. Percy, from his general intelligence, could tell somewhere hot was in the distance. Undyne was standing on the very top. Everyone gasped.

"Seven," Undyne recited. "Seven human souls, and we will be able to raise the Fallen Angel. Understand? Through your seven souls, this world will be transformed."

"You don't understand," Melody began. "The Fallen Angel-"

"First, however," Undyne ignored her. "As is customary for those who make it this far... I shall tell you the tragic tale of our people. It all started, long ago..."

"BOO!" Brayden yelled. "CAN WE JUST GET TO FIGHTING?!"

"..." Undyne paused. Suddenly, she sounded different. "No, you know what?" She turned around, her one eye glowing. Her hair blew back in the wind. "SCREW IT! WHY SHOULD I TELL YOU KIDS THAT STORY, WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE?! NGAHHH!"

"YEAH!" Brayden yelled. Percy wasn't quite as enthusiastic. He didn't really want to fight Undyne. Melody was sighing. Cody was hiding behind Clover. The eighth human looked bored. Faye was simply watching Undyne with awe.

Undyne had taken her helmet off. She had a blue, fishy head with a stream of long, red hair. She turned around, her yellow eye shimmering.

"YOU KIDS!" she screamed. "You're standing in the way of everybody's hopes and dreams! Alphys' history books made me think humans were cool... with their giant robots and flowery swordsman..."

"That's not human history," Percy commented. "That sounds like..." He gasped. "Anime..." Could it be real? Was Undyne an anime fan? Suddenly Percy had a lot more respect for Undyne.

"SHUT UP!" Undyne yelled. Suddenly he didn't respect her anymore. "... for now." Suddenly he did again.

"That's. A. Bad. WORD." Melody grumbled, glaring at Undyne. She looked very done with the fish woman. "Do you want me to come up there, fish-breath? I've got a few things to tell you."

"YEAH MELODY!" Brayden cheered.

"YOU KIDS ARE ALL JUST COWARDS!" Undyne ranted. "Hiding behind that kid so you could run away from me again!"

"YOU CALLIN' ME A COWARD?!" Brayden yelled. "I'LL COME UP THERE WITH MEOLDY AND BEAT THE HECK OUT OF YOU!"

"And let's not forget your wimpy goody-two-shoes schtick!" Undyne continued, glaring at Codt. "Oooh! I'm making such a difference by hugging random strangers! You know what would be more valuable to everyone? IF YOU WERE ALL DEAD!" Cody looked embarrassed. He was quite the hugger, after all.

"Don't insult my brother." Clover growled. She looked like she wanted to join Melody and Brayden for the 'beating-up Undyne' squad.

"That's right, humans!" Undyne yelled. "Your continued existences are crimes! They're the only things that stand between us and our freedom!"

"They're the only things that will save the world." Faye commented quietly. The eighth human nodded.

"Right now, I can feel everyone's hearts beating as one." Undyne continued.

"(Do monsters have hearts?)" Percy asked. "(As in the physical kind?)"

"Everyone's been waiting their whole lives for this moment," Undyne said. "But we're not nervous at all. When everyone puts their hearts together, they can't lose!" The eighth human waved their stick around. "SHUT UP, KID WITH THE STICK! YOU'RE ALL WRONG ABOUT THE ANGEL! THEY'RE THE HERO!" She took a deep breath. "Now, humans! Let's end this, right here, right now. I'll show you how determined monsters can be! Step forward when you're ready! Fuhuhuhu!"

The wind was howling. Everyone was glaring or staring at Undyne. Percy looked to his left. He sighed.

He was gonna need a whole lot of perseverance for this.


	18. Spear of Justice

~Percy~

"That's it, then...!" Undyne yelled as the children approached. "No more running away!" She ran down the cliff, holding out a spear. Percy shivered. "HERE I COME!"

The battle with the great Undyne finally begun. Undyne attacks! Brayden was cheering. The eighth human still looked bored. Everyone else seemed pretty nervous. Clover was giving Undyne an intense stare. Percy shook his head. He had a bad feeling about this battle.

The eighth human checked Undyne. UNDYNE 7 ATK 0 DF. The heroine that NEVER gives up.

"As long as you're trapped in this shield you can't escape!" Undyne yelled. "Unless you learn to face danger head on... you won't last a SECOND against me!" The kids' SOULs were stuck inside a barrier of spears. Spears came from above. The barrier, however, protected them from the spears, so no one was getting hurt.

"Seriously?!" Brayden groaned, making a face. "This is even easier than freaking Papyrus before the blue attack!"

"It's a catch 22 for both of us," Percy realized. "We're stuck in this barrier, but Undyne can't hurt us."

"This is totally unfair?" Undyne groaned, realizing her mistake. "SCREW IT! WE'RE DOING IT THIS WAY!" Suddenly, all the children were separated. They stood in a line. Undyne passed them all a spear. "THERE! NOW YOU CAN DEFEND YOURSELVES FAIRLY!" Undyne flashes a menacing smile.

"THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!" Brayden cheered. Cody observed his spear. Percy knew Cody was pretty good with self-defense, so he knew Cody would be able to take care of himself. The eighth human didn't look worried at all, naturally. Melody seemed a little anxious. Clover was still staring at Undyne. Faye was hanging around the eighth human. Percy held the glowing blue spear in his hands. He took a few notes. He realized he was quivering.

Stop, he told himself. Not now.

"Undyne, we don't want to fight!" Cody pleaded. "We just want to talk!" But nothing happened.

"Let's see how we go with THIS!" Undyne yelled. Spears rained down from above, left and right. Percy's brain started acting up. He began stressing out and losing his concentration. Whenever things got too chaotic for him to understand, he stressed. And when he stressed, everything went wrong.

"FOCUS!" Brayden yelled, eyeing the others. The eighth human didn't look worried at all. They were playing some kind of video game on the cell phone, occasionally looking up to defend themselves from spears. Faye was standing behind them. Cody was defending Clover (and Melody) for once. Brayden was running around and waving the spear, screaming a battle cry.

Percy was trying to defend himself, but he didn't have any focus. The spears seemed to be coming from everywhere. His brain was confused. It needed lines and order, not absolute chaos. Percy's hands were getting sweaty. He panicked. Spears were hitting him. Blood seeped through his sweater. Percy started to pant. He wasn't liking this at all.

"PERCY! FOCUS!" Brayden yelled, glaring at him. He had a spear in his shoulder, but he still looked fierce. The eighth human gazed at Percy with concern. They walked over, holding out a Cinnamon Bunny. Percy accepted it. Eating it cleared some of the fuzz in his brain.

"Are you okay, Percy?" Melody asked, staring at him with concern.

"I don't know..." Percy mumbled. He read over his notes to calm himself down. He scribbled, hard, so hard, so dead. I don't understand. The eighth human helped him stand up by gently grabbing his arm. They were so nice. Melody looked really worried. Creases appeared around her eyes. Percy took a deep breath. He knew he couldn't give up.

Undyne thinks of her friends and punches the ground with her fists. She yelled, "For years, we've dreamed of a happy ending... and now, sunlight is just within our reach!" Spears appeared again. Percy freaked out. The eighth human, however, was there to protect him. They blocked off the spears like they did it for breakfast. They didn't even break a sweat. How? Percy didn't understand how that could be possible.

Melody was still looking at him. She joined him and the eighth human. Percy knew Melody knew about some of his... problems. That's why she wasn't bothered when he excessively took notes. It felt good to have a friend like her.

And it would kill to lose her.

Brayden was still yelling 'FOCUS!' and running around. Clover and Cody were protecting each other. Faye was standing with them now. She looked a little anxious, sweat on her brow. Percy read his notes once more. He needed reassurance from somewhere.

"I won't let you kids snatch it away from us!" Undyne yelled. Undyne bounces impatiently. There were even more spears, appearing from left and right. The eighth human was still defending Percy (and Melody). Percy was a little less stressed now.

"OW!" Brayden complained. He'd got a spear in his other shoulder. He fell over, almost quivering. The eighth human decided to run around with him for a bit. They abandoned Percy and Melody. Melody gazed at Percy.

"I'll protect you." she sighed.

"NGAHH!" Undyne bellowed. "Enough warming up!" Melody wasn't as good as defending spears from herself and Percy as the eighth human was. She was quite terrible, actually. She looked rather annoyed and hurt about it. Literally. She was bleeding quite a lot and she couldn't run anymore. Percy frowned. He didn't like to see his best friend hurt.

Undyne waved her spear. The kids' spears disappeared. Brayden and the eighth human were grinning at each other. It looked like they had something planned.

"HEY! UNDUMB!" Brayden yelled, blowing a raspberry at Undyne. "A BABY CAN THROW SPEARS FASTER THAN YOU!"

"Brayden! Don't stir her up!" Melody grumbled. The eighth human blew a raspberry at Undyne and shook their butt. "Oh my goodness! Brayden, you're a terrible influence!"

"NGAAH! YOU STUPID KIDS!" Undyne yelled. She chased after Brayden and the eighth human. They led her down a path, past the pile of rocks.

"Let's go after 'em!" Clover said. The kids followed Undyne and the other two. They came to a blue pathway. Undyne had caught the eighth human, but they had a smug look on their face. They blocked every spear. They looked away every few moments and yawned, or checked the phone. Undyne looked very ticked off.

"HEY!" Brayden was being annoying in the background. "YOU CAN'T HIT ME! YOU CAN'T HIT ME! NA NA NA NA NA!" The kids were making Undyne furious. Her spears got faster.

"What is this obnoxious behaviour?" Melody asked. Percy was glad she remembered to use a word such as that. He wasn't so glad when Undyne turned around and saw the other kids.

"There you are!" she yelled. "You can't escape me!" The other kids were forced to battle Undyne again. Smells like sushi. Percy freaked out. He was given another spear. His hands grew sweaty. He didn't like this.

"You humans will NEVER make it past ASGORE!" Undyne yelled. Spears came from everywhere. Cody was still very good at defending himself. Clover was slowly improving. Melody was giving Percy wary glances. She wasn't enjoying this. Faye was hiding behind Cody. Percy felt anxious. His brain was still struggling to understand all this chaos. The battle with Papyrus was a little strange, but it was just jumping and knowing when to jump. This was different.

Percy got hit with more spears. His HP had decreased to 5. He didn't like this at all. Undyne flips her spear impatiently. Suddenly, Undyne got hit in the head with a stick. The eighth human was giving her the stink-eye. With closed eyes.

"COME AND GET IT, FISH-BREATH!" Brayden yelled. He put his fist in his palm.

"Honestly, killing you all is my mercy!" Undyne bellowed. She summoned more spears. The eighth human was giving Percy another wary glance. They could tell he had low HP. Percy's breathing became shaky. He clenched his sweater in his fist. He used his other to hold out the spear. His body felt really weak. Blood soaked his sweater.

Undyne fired her spears at the children. They were getting faster. There were yellow spears that went around the other way when they approached you. Percy shivered. He didn't know what to focus on. It was getting so chaotic. His breathing picked up.

"Percy..." Melody stared at him. She looked so upset. Tears were in her eyes. But Percy just couldn't focus. His notes couldn't help him. He got hit by more spears. The eighth human noticed he was about to die. They stopped helping Faye stand up and raced over to rescue him. Determination and desperation were in their eyes. Percy's vision went foggy, even with the glasses on.

"So STOP being so damn resilient!" Undyne yelled. Undyne draws her finger across her neck.

"I..." Percy mumbled. He didn't want to give up. But yet... "I... I can't do this anymore..."

"Percy, no!" Melody yelled. The eighth human was almost there. They were full-on sprinting. But even they were too late. Percy got a spear right through his chest. It seemed to pierce straight through his SOUL. Everyone was watching him. Percy didn't know how to feel. Pain. Peace? This feeling couldn't be described by notes. He knew it had to be experienced to be truly understood.

Death had to be experienced.

Frisk! You have to wake up!

Percy woke up to a black screen. He was floating. Was this death? Words screamed in front of him, 'GAME OVER'. Like a video game. There was a child standing there. It was the child from the book.

It was Chara.

They were watching him with some kind of look their eyes. Before Percy could do anything, he heard a yell from somewhere. He saw his friends for a moment. Melody was screaming at Undyne, tears flowing down her cheeks. Brayden was holding her back, anger in his eyes. The eighth human was staring at Percy's body, their hair covering their face. They looked horrifying. Clover was holding out her gun. Cody was sobbing hysterically. Faye was wiping her eyes.

I... I can't... the nightmare never ends...

The eighth human fell to their knees. They looked up at the ceiling and bellowed, "NOOOOO!" Then everything was reset.

Percy woke up. He was lying beside the eighth human and the others. They were in front of that pile of rocks again. Undyne was standing on top, looking like she did just before she fought them. Percy shook his head. He was so confused.

"What happened?" he asked. He felt so strange. He stared at the eighth human. They had a dark look on their face. He was distracted when Melody gave him a big hug. Normally he didn't like physical contact, but for once, he didn't mind. Cody joined in on the hug. Clover glared at Undyne.

"I think they reloaded their save - I mean, reset time." Faye commented, looking slightly anxious.

"YOU CAN RESET TIME?!" Brayden asked, staring at the eighth human. "HOW MANY FREAKING POWERS DO YOU HAVE?!" They shrugged. They still had a dark look on their face.

"It's a possibility that we all have powers," Percy commented. He realized he sounded shaken up. "It can't be just a coincidence our eyes are the same colours as our SOULs." The eighth human was shaking their head, trembling from stress. But they were the expert, so Percy had to trust their judgement.

"I'VE NEVER SEEN YOUR EYES, PERCE!" Brayden retorted. He stared at the eighth human. "OR YOURS!"

"We're not here to discuss powers," Clover grumbled. "We're here to fight Undyne." She clenched her fist. "Don't worry Perce, she will pay for what she did to you." She held out her hand. "Want in?"

Percy felt an overwhelming sense of anxiety. Dying scared him so badly he felt like he could never walk again. His breathing became heavy. No, he pleaded in his head, not now. His heart pounded. It became hard to breath. Percy looked for his notes. He found his notebook and his pen. He felt like he was dying again. The black screen surrounded him, trapping him in a world he could never escape.

I... I can't... the nightmare never ends...

"You okay?" Clover asked, giving him a glance. Percy's hands felt all sweaty. Melody was staring at him with concern. Percy knew Melody knew about his anxiety, but he was pretty sure she'd never witnessed a panic attack. Whenever he had one, he always hid it from people. His parents were never around, so they didn't understand, and his babysitters freaked out if they managed to find him having one.

"Need a hug?" Cody offered with nervous laughter. Faye looked concerned. Brayden looked confused. The eighth human had their brow raised.

"I... I have to... go..." Percy managed to splutter. "Fight her without me..."

"Percy..." Melody began, holding out her hand. "You died... and now..." She looked so sad. Percy, for once, felt he could be sympathetic. But he felt so sick. He felt so... afraid. He couldn't be near people. Not now.

"I have to go..." he said. He walked off, clutching his sweater. His notebook was in his other hand. His chest felt tight and his breathing was still heavy. But he knew he had to get away from here. He left the area. He returned to the place with the bridge. He walked across the bridge, still feeling funny. He had an idea about where he was going. He sort of felt like he'd been here before.

For a second, right in front of him, he thought he saw Chara. The child was staring at him. They looked empty inside, yet also regretful. Percy felt obliged to glare at them. They wanted to destroy the world, after all.

Percy took notes. He wrote, Vision of Chara. Seems empty and regretful. Possible theories include intimidation? First appearance since... death. He went back to the area with the hall, where Faye proclaimed she saw Flowey. Percy sighed. He was so neglectful. But what could he do? He couldn't fight like this. The thought of that battle made him feel like vomiting.

Percy saw Chara again, at the end of the hall. They were staring at him. It didn't look evil or malicious. Percy took notes, Chara appears to be following me. Their intention is unclear. He took a step towards them. Chara kept staring at him. What did they want?

"hey, kiddo," Sans appeared at the end of the hall. Chara disappeared. Percy nearly jumped out of his skin. "heh, sorry. didnt mean to scare ya. where are your friends?"

"Fighting Undyne." Percy answered, clutching his notebook.

"oh," Sans replied. He sounded a little confused. "why arentcha with em?"

"I can't fight Undyne." Percy sighed. He flicked the pages of the notebook, frowning at his actions.

"hey, no sweat, perce," Sans chuckled. "im lazy all the time. you need a break. undyne's pretty tough." He scratched his skull. "anyway, i gotta go. ive got work to miss out on. later." He disappeared. Percy shook his head, wondering what that was all about. Then he saw Chara for a third time. They were closer this time. Only a few footsteps away.

"What do you want?" Percy asked. He sounded emotionless once more.

"I do not have much time," Chara responded. Their voice sounded croaky... and interesting. One minute it was like a boy's voice, the next it was a girl's. "They're preventing me from appearing more frequently. Listen, Percy Verance. They do not have power, merely DETERMINATION. You can use your own determination as a weapon. And I-" They disappeared with a flash of grey. Percy raised his brow.

"Determination." he muttered. He wondered who 'they' was. The eighth human? That was understandable. Chara had awful plans for the world. Of course the eighth human would try to keep them out. Percy wondered why Chara was offering him advice. What did they want? And what did they mean by determination?

Determination is the only way to survive this world. Percy remembered when he spoke to Melody. If you away... you will die. How did he know that? How did he knew she would supposedly die? Percy realized he would die too if he stayed here. He already had once. He couldn't give up yet. There was always hope.

Perseverance was the key.

Percy stood up, wiping his brow. He knew what he had to do. He couldn't give up. Determination was the only way to survive this world. And Percy was going to prove it now.

Percy, staying low, followed Undyne and his friends. The fish lady was battling them nearby a large, electronic sign that read 'WELCOME TO HOTLAND'. She was suplexing a boulder, just because she could. Percy's friends were blocking her spears. The eighth human still looked bored. The other kids were busy defending themselves. Percy frowned. Melody wasn't very good at defending herself. Brayden was still running around and yelling.

Percy looked at Melody. He didn't like seeing her hurt. He stayed hidden, observing the battle a little longer. He knew there would be a time he would have to come in. He observed his notes. He played the Attack on Titan theme song in his head. Wait, this kid has seen Attack on Titan? Uh, anyway, Percy played the theme song in his head.

Melody was getting really hurt. Percy frowned. The eighth human looked worried. It seemed they didn't want anyone else to die. Percy could understand that. He was about to run in, when the eighth human got a phone call from Papyrus. The kids surrounded the phone.

"HEY!" Papyrus yelled. "WHAT'S UP?!"

"Undyne is trying to kill us." Faye answered.

"You don't say." Melody mumbled, limping. She looked so... ill. Percy felt awful. He looked away, pulling his hair.

"OH, REALLY?!" Papyrus asked. "'CAUSE I WAS JUST THINKING... YOU GUYS, ME AND UNDYNE SHOULD ALL HANGOUT SOMETIME! I THINK YOU WOULD MAKE GREAT PALS!"

"She's tryna kill us, Pap." Clover said, making a face.

"LET'S MEET UP AT HER HOUSE LATER!" Papyrus cheered as if he hadn't heard her. He hung up.

"Where even is her place?" Brayden asked, scratching his head. The others stared at him. Undyne caught the humans before they could get too far.

"COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE PUNKS!" she screamed.

"I think I'm going to die, just like Percy did..." Melody sighed, observing herself. She said it with so much remorse. The eighth human shook their head. They were interrupted by Brayden crashing into them by mistake. They made some kind of angry yelp. Spears swarmed the children. Clover looked like she wanted to defend Melody, but she was too far away. So was Cody. Faye was too scared to move. Percy made a face of determination.

He knew his time had come.

[A/N: Go on YouTube and play https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APc1pR8atDo.]

"BAN... KAI!" Percy yelled, running in front of Melody. He held up his books as a mechanism of defense. They glowed purple for a moment, deflecting the spears. However, one spear managed to knock off Percy's glasses. It revealed his painfully feminine purple eyes. It looked like he was wearing eyeliner. And then his irises were purple, of course.

"Percy...!" Melody exclaimed, eyeing him. She looked stunned.

"YEAH! PERCY!" Brayden cheered, fist-pumping the air. Clover raised her brow. Faye and Cody looked up. The eighth human just smiled.

"THE HELL?!" Undyne yelled. "Where did YOU come from?! Also, was that a Bleach reference?"

"DID YOU REALLY THINK I'D GIVE UP THAT EASILY?" Percy yelled. Yelled. That killed his throat. And for some reason, he could see fine without his glasses. That never happened. But he did know something. He was feeling very determined right now, like he could take on the world. He never felt like that. "NO! I'M A SOUL OF PERSEVERANCE! WE'RE DETERMINED TO THE END! AND YES, THAT WAS A BLEACH REFERENCE! THANKS FOR NOTICING!"

"WELL...!" Undyne glared at him. "LET'S SEE WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF, PUNK!"

"HUMANS ARE MADE OF SIX DIFFERENT ELEMENTS: CARBON, OXYGEN, NITROGEN, CALCIUM, PHOSPHORUS AND HYDROGEN!" Percy yelled. "WE'RE ALSO 60% WATER! AND WE HAVE SOMETHING ELSE, TOO - DETERMINATION!" All this yelling... he usually left that to people like Brayden.

"NGAHH!" Undyne yelled. She threw spears at Percy. The wind was howling. Pages from Percy's books were flying everywhere. They surrounded Percy like he controlled them. He glared at Undyne. He held out his fist. His black hair blew back in the wind. He grabbed one of Undyne's spears and held it out in front of him, defending himself from the rest of her spears.

"How is he doin' that?" Clover asked.

"DOES HE HAVE POWERS TOO?!" Brayden asked. He stamped his feet. "I WANT POWERS!"

"Percy..." Melody was staring at Percy. She seemed happy to see him there. He grinned back at her. Grinned. Melody was so proud of him.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF NOTES CONTROLLING MY LIFE!" Percy faced Undyne. A single spear hadn't hit him. His eyes were glowing. At least, Percy hoped they were. "I... I JUST DON'T... I JUST DON'T WANT THIS... ANXIETY CONTROLLING ME ANYMORE..." He paused. "It's costing me everything... friends... family... people think I'm just selfish, but..." He sighed and looked away. He was always thinking about himself. He never thought about other people. He was so selfish, so scared.

How could he have done this to the people who were trying to help him?

"Percy...?" Melody gave him a glance. "Are you okay?"

Melody worst of all. She'd sacrificed everything for him, even her own life. She was a loyal friend to the end, and Percy had been so ungrateful. He was always thinking about himself. He never thought about how Melody felt. He'd isolated her from her other friends, just because he didn't like them. He never even bothered to understand how she felt deep down. What kind of best friend was he?

"I'm sorry, Melody," Percy apologized. He choked up. He hated himself so much right now. Was he going to cry? He rarely cried. "Because of me, you were alone too. I'm an atrocious, terrible, disgraceful, appalling, and just plain bad best friend." He looked at Brayden. "Sorry, Brayden. You never did anything wrong. I was just too selfish to want anyone else to become friends with Melody..."

"You don't like me?" Brayden asked. He looked confused. "Since when?!"

"WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE!" Undyne yelled. She looked a little awkward. Percy almost forgot she was there.

"Then let's finish this." he said, giving Undyne a glance. The eighth human gave him a sign. It seemed they were telling him to copy them. Percy nodded. He gazed back at Undyne. "Catch me if you can." He said that emotionlessly. He then raced off, yelling, "BAN... KAI!" The eighth human was at his side. "Come on, guys!" The other kids joined the escape. Undyne roared and chased after them all.

The kids came to a hot, dry area. The ground was barren patches, surrounded by lava. Rocks made up the walls. Occasionally, Brayden would look back and yell something at Undyne. Percy focused on running across the bridge that crossed over the sea of lava (oxymoron?). He didn't even pay attention to Sans, who was snoozing at a sentry station. The eighth human was still beside Percy. He almost grinned at them.

The other humans were there as well. Brayden was carrying Faye, somehow. Clover was keeping an eye on her bro. Undyne was glaring at the snoozing Sans. Percy's hair was flowing past his shoulders. He was pretty sure it was longer than before, somehow. Melody was behind him. She tripped. Undyne stared at her.

"Don't even think about it." Percy grumbled. He turned back and grabbed Melody's hand. He helped her stand up. He led her across the bridge, away from Undyne. Notebook pages were still floating around. Percy reached the other side. He let Melody go. He took a moment to breath. His chest felt tight again. His limbs felt like they were going to melt like chocolate.

Undyne caught up. She was drenched in sweat. She panted.

"Armour... so... hot..." she breathed. "But I can't... give up!" She collapsed and fell on the bridge, her tongue sticking out.

"YEAH!" Brayden cheered. "SUCKER! TAKE THAT, UNDUMB!"

Percy shook his head. What was getting into him? His hair was normal length again. His vision was cloudy - he needed his glasses. And he felt very tired. He assumed the determination he used must've drained his energy. He'd never used it before, so what did he expect?

"We can't just leave her here, guys." Cody said, staring at Undyne with a frown. The eighth human walked over to a water cooler. They filled up a cup of water. They poured it over Undyne's head. Everyone watched Undyne in interest. She shook for a moment. Then she stood up and looked around. She walked off.

"Well... bye, then..." Melody said, raising her brow.

"That was awkward." Faye commented.

"Well, we'll be seeing her later, right?" Cody asked. "When we... 'hang out' with her?"

"Dagnabbit, I forgot about that!" Clover complained. She stared at Percy. "But seriously, you okay, Perce?"

"THAT BOOKS AND YELLING THING WAS AWESOME!" Brayden yelled, grinning at Percy. "YOU SHOULD DO THAT MORE OFTEN!"

"I didn't know I could do that..." Percy mumbled. "Someone told me I could... and they were right..."

"Who told you?" Melody asked, eyeing him. She knelt down beside him. She was giving him a glance of sympathy.

"Chara." Percy said slowly.

"Chara." Clover growled, a dark look in her eyes.

"CHARA!" Brayden yelled, punching the air.

"Uh... Chara?" Cody said questioningly.

"Chara." Percy said. "Yes. Chara. They spoke to me. They told me I could use determination as a weapon to defeat Undyne... and they were right...?"

The eighth human waved their hands. They made a few signs.

"... yeah, they're right," Clover agreed. "Chara's up to somethin'." She gave Percy a glance. She sounded... angry. Percy gulped. Clover glared at him. "I can't believe you listened to 'em, Percy. They could be plannin' to do something horrible to you. They're plannin' to destroy the world! And you listened to them." Percy shivered.

"Excuse me!" Melody argued on Percy's behalf. "Percy just died! He's very scared! He didn't know any better, Clover!"

"He of all of us should know," Clover said, glaring at Melody. "He's the one takin' notes 24/7." She made a face. "What if Chara's controlling him? That could explain his powers!"

"Clover, that's absolutely preposterous!" Melody argued. "Percy wouldn't let that happen, right, Percy?"

Percy shook his head. "I don't know anymore." He hated not knowing. Nothing annoyed him more.

Clover frowned. She sounded serious. She'd dropped the mock-cowboy accent. "Guys. If you see Chara... don't listen to anything they tell you." She glared at Percy. "And if you already have... then we can't listen to you, either."

Percy widened his eyes. He clutched his sweater. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. This was not what he wanted. He didn't want his friends to not trust him. His eyes felt a little watery, even though he never cried. Was he truly alone after all?

"Clover!" Melody exclaimed.

"Sis, come on," Cody pleaded. "Percy didn't do anything wrong. He helped us! I don't think Chara would do that."

"And I want powers!" Brayden whined. "I can't get 'em if I don't 'listen' to Chara!" The eighth human stared at Clover. Their expression was hard to decipher. Faye played with her hair.

Clover made a face. She didn't look very happy. "Fine. Majority rules. But if Chara really does something bad to us..." She adjusted her cowboy hat. She stared at Percy. "It's your own fault."

Percy shivered. He had a feeling he just made a huge mistake.


	19. Hangout! START!

~Percy~

"Okay, I'll admit it," Brayden grumbled. "Undyne's got a cool-looking house!"

The children were back in Waterfall. They were standing in front of a house shaped like an angry fish. It looked similar to Undyne's face. Half of it was black, the other half was pale blue. The 'eyes' were windows. The 'mouth' was the door. Percy had never seen such unusual architecture. Someone was playing piano inside.

"She's playing piano," Melody commented. She gasped. "I didn't know Undyne could play piano! I like her a lot more now."

"I love people who kill my friends." Clover grumbled darkly.

"I love people who accuse my best friend." Melody spat back.

"OHHH!" Brayden yelled. "BURN BABY BURN!" Clover glared at both him and Melody.

"PSST," Papyrus whispered loudly. He was standing in front of Undyne's door.

"Whispering loudly defeats the whole purpose of whispering," Percy whispered. "And we were never whispering in the first place, so why are we whispering now?"

Papyrus held out an orange bone with a ribbon wrapped around it. "MAKE SURE TO GIVE HER THIS! SHE LOVES THESE!"

"Okay!" Cody said, grinning.

"Who would want a bone as a gift?" Melody asked, crinkling her nose. "If someone gave me a bone for my birthday I'd hit them over the head with it."

"GET BEHIND ME." Papyrus whispered.

"How are all of us supposed to do that?" Percy asked, raising his brow. He didn't understand Papyrus' sense of physics. The children stood behind Papyrus anyway. The door opened like a pair of jaws. It revealed Undyne wearing a black tank top and blue jeans. She had her red hair up. She was also wearing brown boots and an eye patch, like a pirate.

"Hi, Papyrus!" she greeted. "Ready for your extra-private, one-on-one training?" She sounded so happy and polite it surprised Percy.

"YOU BET I AM!" Papyrus yelled back. "AND I BROUGHT SOME FRIENDS!" He moved, revealing the children.

"Hi! I don't think we've..." Undyne realized who they were. "..."

"..." Percy said for no reason. The eighth human had a -_- face. The other kids eyed each other.

"..." Papyrus added.

"Why don't." Undyne forced herself to grin. "You all. Come in?" She went inside. Papyrus did a dance, then he followed.

"I don't know about this." Clover commented with a frown.

"I'm going in!" Brayden yelled. He ran inside.

"We're going in." Melody sighed. The children entered Undyne's house. Percy had to admit, she did have a cool-looking house. The wallpaper was fish designs. The floor was a blue and yellow checkers design. There was a dining table with a fish design, a sword in the corner, a piano in the other corner and a kitchen. The kitchen was sitting against the wall. It was silver.

"I like your house, Undyne!" Cody commented brightly.

"Thanks..." Undyne replied, looking slightly awkward. [A/N: Me when someone compliments me... bye Ponystories is leaving now.]

"HERE, UNDYNE," Papyrus said. He held out the bone. "MY FRIENDS BROUGHT A GIFT FOR YOU, ON THEIR OWN!"

"On our own alright." Melody commented sarcastically.

"Uhhh... thanks," Undyne said, still looking awkward. "I'll, uh, put it with the others." She put the bone in a drawer which had many others. She faced Papyrus. "So, are we ready to start?"

"WHOOPSY DOOSPY!" Papyrus exclaimed. "I JUST REMEMBERED! I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM! YOU ALL HAVE FUN!" Papyrus jumped out of the window. Percy couldn't wrap his head around these physics.

"AWESOME!" Brayden said, grinning.

"Not awesome! What kind of manners are those?!" Melody shrieked, staring at the window.

"Papyrus has a completely different view of logic than us," Percy informed her. "Honestly, it's quite disturbing."

"So," Undyne interrupted. "Why are YOU all here? To rub your victory in my face? To humiliate me even further?" She frowned. "IS THAT IT?!"

"No!" Cody squeaked. "I mean, no, we don't! We don't want to humiliate you!"

"Hmph." Melody said, looking unimpressed.

"We came here to talk 'bout something," Clover said. She made a face. "But I think we'll have to become friends first."

"LET'S FRIEND-SHIP THIS RIGHT OUTTA THE PARK!" Brayden yelled. [A/N: Totally not a reference to anything...]

"That's a quote I'm writing down." Percy mumbled, taking out his notes. He blinked and adjusted his broken glasses.

"I thought you weren't into that anymore, Percy." Melody said, eyeing him. Percy almost frowned. He couldn't just move on from note-taking just yet. He felt... too attached to it. That reminded him of the Undyne fight. He was still confused about what had happened. Was it really Chara? He didn't know. He hated that. But he did know he had awful fatigue. He felt like he could drop off at any moment.

"We don't kill people, so we're here to be friends." Faye told Undyne. The eighth human nodded.

"You wanna be friends, huh?" Undyne asked. She laughed maliciously. "Really? How delightful! I accept! Let's all frolick in the fields of friendship!" She made a more... intense expression. "... NOT!" Cody looked disappointed. "Why would I EVER want to be friends with YOU?!"

"Where are your manners?" Melody asked, folding her arms.

"If you weren't my houseguests, I'd beat you all up right now!" Undyne yelled. "You kids are the enemies of everyone's hopes and dreams! I WILL NEVER BE YOUR FRIEND. Now get out of my house!"

Clover sighed and patted Cody's head. Brayden glared at Undyne.

"YOU think we're the enemies?" he asked. "YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR STUFF, FISH-BREATH!" He put his fist in his palm. Undyne glared at him.

"DANG!" Papyrus yelled from the window. "WHAT A SHAME... I THOUGHT UNDYNE COULD BE FRIENDS WITH THE HUMANS. BUT IT SEEMS I OVERESTIMATED HER. SHE CAN'T BE FRIENDS WITH EVEN ONE OF THEM!" He raced off.

"HEY!" Undyne yelled. "Papyrus! Wait a second...!" She frowned. She glared at the children. "Darnit! He thinks I can't be friends with you kids?! Fuhuhu! What a joke! I could make friends with wimpy losers like you anyday! I'll show him!"

"Must you be so competitive?" Melody asked. She eyed Percy. He nodded, confirming she'd used the right word.

"As long as we get to talk." Clover said, clenching her fist. Brayden still had his fist in his palm. The other kids were staring at Undyne.

"Listen up, humans!" Undyne yelled. "We're not just going to be friends. We're going to be... BESTIES."

"But I already have a bestie..." Faye said quietly.

"Me too." Melody agreed. She nodded at Percy. He nodded back. His fatigue was getting worse. Cody stood next to his sister and grinned at her. The eighth human hummed 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' to themself.

"I DON'T CARE!" Undyne rebuked. "I'll make you all like me so much... you won't be able to think of anyone else!"

"Try me!" Brayden yelled, grabbing Faye's shoulder. She blushed.

"Fuhuhuhu!" Undyne yelled. "It's the PERFECT REVENGE!"

"... revenge." Clover repeated, eyeing Undyne.

"Revenge," Percy recited, remembering the word in his dictionary. "The action of hurting or harming someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands." Props to the author for having the ability to copy and paste the internet definition of that word.

"I know what revenge means, Perce." Clover grumbled, still staring at Undyne.

"Why don't you all have a seat?" Undyne asked, pointing at the dining table. She seemed much more courteous now, even though her fist was placed onto her palm, which quite obviously is a sign of aggression, since Brayden is making that sign for basically the whole story. However, Percy could appreciate manners. Only because he was best friends with Melody. He noticed his best friend was eyeing the piano.

"I heard you playing piano outside," Melody told Undyne. "I didn't know you liked music!"

"I didn't know you liked anime." Percy added. His vision went all fuzzy for a moment. He pinched himself to stay awake.

"Piano is the best!" Undyne yelled. "And of course I like anime! IT'S HUMAN HISTORY!"

Percy frowned. He wished that were true, but it wasn't so. "Uh, actually-"

"Hey, Brayden, we should do some more piano lessons," Melody said, sitting on the seat in front of the piano. Brayden made a face.

"HEY!" Undyne yelled, glaring at Melody. Undyne was holding a blue spear. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SITTING AT THE DINING TABLE!"

"Well fine!" Melody scoffed, walking over to the dining table.

"Eh..." Undyne laughed anxiously.

"This looks like a sword from anime," Percy said, going over to the sword in the corner. It was way taller than him. "Unsuitable for real humans, but on the contrary... it's simply made for anime."

"Is this your room?" Faye asked, going over to a door next to the kitchen.

"Yeah, you wanna see it?" Undyne asked, grinning at Faye.

"Sure." Faye replied.

Undyne growled, "TOO BAD! NO NERDS ALLOWED!" Faye looked down. Undyne chuckled anxiously. "... well, maybe some nerds..." She noticed Percy was checking out the sword. "Hey, weird boy that likes anime and kicks butt! Don't touch that!"

"Very well," Percy sighed, backing up. "Also, my given name is Percy. Percy Verance. Or Otaku Boy. People like to refer to me as 'Perce', though." He eyed a trashcan nearby the sword that's not in the actual game but is in this fanfiction because ponystoriesandothers. He walked over to it.

"Howdy," the trashcan opened, revealing some weirdo in a blue hoodie. "Do you know where my will to live is?"

"Uh, no..." Percy replied, confused. Who the heck was this and why were they in a trash can? The author (that's the weirdo) was about to say something, but Undyne closed the trash can with a toothy grin.

"Never mind them," she said. "That's just some trashbag who writes terrible fanfiction. Thankfully, we're not in any of their fanfiction, or otherwise we'd be saying stupid things like 'cheese balls' instead of 'good'."

"Oh." Percy replied, relieved.

"Do you like cooking?" Cody asked, standing in front of Undyne's sink.

"Obviously!" Undyne replied, grinning. "I give Papyrus cooking lessons! Of course I LOVE cooking!" The eighth human raised their brow at 'LOVE'.

"Sans said that," Cody remembered. He grinned. "We should cook together sometime!"

"Why not?" Undyne said, scratching her head.

"Come sit down, y'all," Clover said, looking over from the table. "Undyne needs to hear some stuff." Undyne was distracted by Brayden, who was running around for no reason. Percy sat down at the table and folded his arms. He wished he were home. Outings made him uncomfortable.

The eighth human was eyeing him. Clover was ignoring him, of course. Percy looked back at the eighth human. He wondered what they were thinking about. Him? He took some notes. He knew the eighth human had some knowledge of other timelines now. He wondered if he and the others were in those timelines, too. And Chara...?

Undyne made Brayden sit at the table. He blew a raspberry. She took a few steps back and eyed the kids.

"Comfortable?" she asked. "I'll get you kids something to drink." She walked over to the fridge. She brought a variety of drinks out and placed them on the kitchen sink. Percy eyed the soda. He loved that stuff to death. It was geek classic to drink it while watching anime.

Undyne grinned at the kids. "All set! What would you guys like to drink?"

"I'm hungry," Brayden said. "Got anything to eat?"

"We've got plenty of food, Brayden," Melody sighed. She stood up. So did the others. Undyne threw a spear at the table, breaking it in half. Melody fell on the floor in shock. Percy's glasses almost fell off... again. And they did not need to be more broken. Brayden was laughing. Clover was staring at Undyne. Cody was shivering. Faye was day-dreaming. The eighth human shook their head.

"HEY!" Undyne yelled. "DON'T GET UP! YOU'RE THE GUESTS! SIT DOWN AND ENJOY YOURSELVES!" She laughed nervously. "Um... why not just point to what you want? You can use the spear."

"AWESOME!" Brayden cheered, holding the spear. "Can I keep this?"

"The chance of me letting you keep that spear is about the same as me getting that table repaired anytime soon," Undyne told Brayden. She made a face. "WHICH IS NO CHANCE AT ALL!"

"Aww..." Brayden sighed. Melody took the spear from him before he did anything stupid.

"What do you all want to drink?" she asked her friends. Everyone began arguing. Including Percy, who wanted soda. Really bad. He was so terribly tired. The eighth human looked like they wanted the spear. Melody handed it to them. The eighth human pointed the spear at Undyne, wiggling their eyebrows. Percy made a face. They were... flirting with her.

"... are you..." Undyne looked uncomfortable. "Hitting on me?" Melody took the spear back, shaking her head at the eighth human. They shrugged. Melody pointed at the tea. "... tea, huh?" Undyne asked. She nodded. "Coming right up!" She pulled out a pan and boiled some water. She grabbed seven cups from... somewhere... and seven tea bags. She turned and faced the children.

"It'll take a moment for the water to boil." she said cheerfully. Everyone waited around. Soon, the tea was done boiling. "Okay, it's all done!" Percy frowned. He didn't mind tea, occasionally, but he really would've preferred soda. Undyne poured the tea into the seven cups. She brought them over to the kids.

"Here we are." she said, placing the cups on the table. "Careful, it's hot."

"I DON'T CARE!" Brayden yelled, drinking the tea. He made a face. "IT'S BURNING BUT I LOVE IT!"

"YEAH!" Undyne cheered. "THAT'S THE SPIRIT! I LOVE THIS KID!" She looked at the others. "It's not THAT hot! If he can drink it, you guys can too!"

"Thank you, Undyne." Melody sighed. She sipped her tea. She spat it out. "That's burning!"

"Thanks!" Cody chirped. He sipped his tea, fanning his mouth. "Eh... it's pretty good...! Eh..." He blew on the tea.

"I still wanted hot chocolate!" Brayden whined. Melody glared at him. "Whatever, thanks, Undyne."

"I love tea." Faye sighed, watching the steam curl up from the hot liquid. Percy took a sip. It was boiling, but aside from that... it was pretty good.

"This is boiling," Clover commented. She shrugged. "But it's pretty good."

"I LOVE HOT STUFF!" Brayden yelled, having a great time. The eighth human gave Undyne a nod, even though they hadn't touched their tea. Percy still felt tired. His head ached. He felt like passing out. He shook his head. He had to wake up. Unlike whoever that Frisk character was...

... who was Frisk?

"Yeah, it's pretty good, huh?" Undyne said. She made a face. "Nothing but the best for my ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS FRIENDS!" She eyed the eighth human. "You gonna have yours?!" They made a face. "Not thirsty? Seriously?!" They shrugged. "Fine, do what you want."

Undyne paused. She eyed the kids. "Hey... you know, it's kind of strange you guys chose that tea. Golden flower tea... that's ASGORE's favourite kind." Golden flower. Flowey was a golden flower. Percy remembered. Undyne continued, "Actually, now that I think about it... you guys kind of remind me of him. You're all TOTAL weenies!"

"YOU'RE A WEENIE!" Brayden rebuked, about to stand up. Melody pulled him down.

"... well, sort of," Undyne chuckled. She paused again. "You guys remind me of when I was a kid. I was pretty hot-headed kid, like your orange friend over here."

"YEAH!" Brayden cheered. He crossed his arms. "Also, my name's Brayden."

"Okay, you're Brayden, and that's Percy," Undyne said, nodding. Percy had almost fallen asleep. His fatigue was terrible. He looked up. "What about the rest of you?"

"I'm Melody," Melody said. She pointed at the others. "That's Faye, Clover, Cody and... the stick-wielding child. They don't have a name for some reason."

"Or a gender." Faye added.

"Nice!" Undyne commented. Percy found he was starting to like Undyne. "Anyway, I was a pretty hotheaded kid. Once, to prove I was the strongest, I tried to fight ASGORE. Emphasis on TRIED. I couldn't land a single blow on him! And worse, the whole time, he refused to fight back." She looked down. "I was so humiliated. Afterwards, he apologized and said something goofy... 'Excuse me, do you want to know how to beat me?' I said yes, and from then on, he trained me." Undyne stared at Percy. "Perce, are you taking notes...?"

"Um..." Percy fidgeted with his notebook. "Yeah, it's what I do." His handwriting was all messy. He hated this fatigue.

"Heh, you remind me of Alphys," Undyne commented. "Seriously, you should do that anime-esque thing again. That was awesome!" Percy blushed. That was still confusing him. He couldn't make sense of it. "Anyway, one day, during practice, I finally knocked ASGORE down. I felt bad... but he was beaming. I'd never seen someone more proud to get their butt kicked. Anyway, long story short, he kept training me... and now I'm the head of the Royal Guard! So I'm the one who gets to train dorks to fight! Like, uh, Papyrus..."

"Are you going to let Papyrus join the Royal Guard?" Cody asked. Everyone stared at Undyne in interest.

"Um... to be honest..." Undyne paused. "I... don't know if... I can ever let Papyrus into the Royal Guard. Don't tell him I said that!"

"We won't." Melody promised.

"He's just... well..." Undyne laughed anxiously. "I mean, it's not that he's weak. He's actually pretty freaking tough! It's just that he's... um... he's too innocent and nice!"

"YEAH!" Brayden agreed. "He let us have a sleepover and all that stuff! But that was actually, eh, fun, I guess." The eighth human was wiggling their eyebrows at him. "DUDE NO."

"Yeah!" Undyne agreed. She made a face. "I mean, look, he was SUPPOSED to capture you guys... and he ended up being friends with you instead! I could NEVER send him into battle! He'd get ripped into little smiling shreds."

Cody gasped. His sister patted his head again.

Faye sighed, "Poor Papyrus, I like that guy..."

"That's part of why I started teaching him how to cook, you know?" Undyne continued. "So, um, maybe he can do something else with his life."

"Well, at least you're doing something 'bout it." Clover said, shrugging. Percy's fatigue hit him again. He slapped himself to stay awake.

"Oh, sorry," Undyne stood up. "I was talking for so long... you guys are out of tea, aren't you?"

"We actually wanted to talk to you about something." Clover spoke up.

"Yeah?" Undyne said, folding her arms. "What is it?"

Clover began, "Well, you know the Fallen Angel-"

"Wait a second." Undyne interrupted her. A look of shock crossed the monster's face. "Papyrus... his cooking lesson... HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW! And if HE's not here to have it... YOU ALL WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FOR HIM!"

"Seriously..." Clover deadpanned.

"Cooking!" Cody cheered.

"LET'S COOK THIS OUTTA THE PARK!" Brayden yelled, punching the air. Percy stood up. His body screamed at him. He felt weak, like he could shatter at any moment. But he persuaded himself to continue. Undyne jumped onto the kitchen bench. She knocked all of the drinks off.

"You're making a mess!" Melody exclaimed, leaning back.

"That's right!" Undyne declared. "NOTHING has brought Papyrus and I closer than cooking! Which means that if I give you all his lesson... WE'LL ALL BECOME CLOSER THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE! Fuhuhu! Afraid?! We're gonna be best friends!"

"I am very afraid." Melody admitted. "Very, very afraid."

"THAT'S THE STUFF!" Undyne yelled. She leaped over to the humans. She picked them all up at once and brought them over to the kitchen bench. Percy questioned his very existence. He held on very tightly to his notes.

Undyne stamped her foot. Vegetables fell down from the sky. Percy raised his brow.

"Envision these vegetables as your greatest enemy!" Undyne told the kids. "Now! Pound them to dust with your fists!" Brayden did just that. Except a tomato rebounded against the wall and hit him in the face. He landed in the eighth human's arms. Percy was too tired to muster the energy. Cody and Faye didn't want to. Melody didn't either, only because she didn't want to get vegetable crap all over her. Clover pulled out her gun and shot a bullet at some vegetables, creating a vegetable explosion all over the kitchen.

"Yeah!" Undyne cheered. Everyone was covered in vegetable juice. Melody was shrieking. "That's the stuff!" Undyne raised her brow at the mess. "Uh, we'll scrape this into a bowl for later. But for now...!" Undyne stamped her foot. A pot and a packet full of pasta noodles landed on the cooking surface. "... we add the noodles! Homemade noodles are the best!" She grinned. "BUT I JUST BUY STORE-BRAND! THEY'RE THE CHEAPEST! NGAHHHH!"

"Aw, I like making my own pasta..." Cody commented. Percy held back a yawn.

"Uhh, just put them in the pot," Undyne chuckled. Brayden picked up the noodles like he wanted to throw them in. Melody stopped him.

"No more mess!" she exclaimed. She gently placed the noodles in the pot. They clanked against the empty bottom. Brayden groaned in boredom.

"Nice?" Undyne's eyebrow twitched. She shook her head. "Now it's time to stir the pasta! As a general rule of thumb, the more you stir... THE BETTER IT IS! Ready? Let's do it!" The children all grabbed the spoon and began stirring. "Stir harder!" Undyne encouraged. The children did so. "HARDER!" Undyne still wasn't happy. "Ugh, let me do it!" A spear came down from the sky and basically destroyed the pot.

"Good grief!" Melody exclaimed like she was in a Charlie Brown comic.

"THIS DATE IS THE BEST THING EVER!" Brayden cheered.

"Fuhuhuhu!" Undyne cheered. "That's the stuff! Alright, time for the final step: TURN UP THE HEAT! Let the stovetop symbolize your passion! Let your hopes and dreams turn into burning fire! READY? Don't hold anything back!"

"We'll burn your house down if we do that." Percy pointed out. He wiped his eyes. "The... odds are staggering."

"No one really wants to die, I think..." Faye commented. "No offence, Percy."

Percy sneezed into his elbow. "Death."

"Do it!" Undyne encouraged.

"I WILL!" Brayden yelled. He turned up the heat. Melody frowned.

"Hotter!" Undyne yelled. Brayden turned up the heat. Clover pulled her brother back. "Hotter!" Brayden turned it up more. Percy noticed Brayden was sweat-beading. Even he was scared by this. "Hotter, darnit!" Brayden turned it up a little more. The fire exploded into a great flame. "Wait, that's too-"

KABOOM!

The house was red and on fire. Smoke and heat were everywhere, consuming the building.

"What did I tell you..." Percy muttered. His head was killing him. He could barely move. Undyne's face was covered in black soot. Brayden had some in his hair.

"That was so dangerous!" Melody exclaimed, brushing off her tutu. She tried to brush soot out of Brayden's hair, but he shooed her away. "Why me?"

"Ah," Undyne laughed. "Man, no wonder Papyrus sucks at cooking." She paused. "So what's next? Friendship bracelets? Scrapbooking?"

"Leaving?" Clover suggested, folding her arms.

Undyne sighed. "... oh, who am I kidding. I really screwed this up, didn't I? I can't force you to like me, humans. Some people just don't get along with each other. I understand if you feel that way about me."

"Oh, no, Undyne!" Cody told her. "We think you're great!"

"I thought you sucked at first!" Brayden admitted. He grinned. "But now I think you're FREAKING COOL!"

"You're crazy, but somehow I don't hate you." Melody said, folding her arms.

"I like... anyone... that likes... anime..." Percy said, rubbing his eyes. His vision was blurry...

"You're not so bad." Clover admitted, adjusting her hat.

"I like your spears." Faye commented, smiling. The eighth human winked at Undyne.

"You all... really feel that way about me?" Undyne asked. She blushed. "Well... that's going to make this hard..." Suddenly, a battle initiated. "IT MEANS I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL WITH REGRET!"

Undyne held out a spear. Her hair blew in the wind. "I've been defeated... my house is in shambles... I even failed to befriend you kids. That's it." She looked up. "I don't care if you guys are my houseguests anymore. One final rematch. All out on both sides! IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN REGAIN MY LOST PRIDE! NOW COME ON! HIT ME WITH ALL YOU'VE GOT! NGAHHHHH!"

Undyne is letting you make the first attack.

Percy was not in the mood for this. Luckily, the eighth human had a plan. They stepped forward, encouraging the others to stay behind. A dark look was on their face. They held up the stick, like they were going to hit her. They swung...

And did 1 damage. Everyone stared at the eighth human. Percy was surprised, more than anything. They stepped back.

Undyne paused. "What. That's the best you can manage? Even attacking at full force... you just can't muster any intent to hurt me, huh?" She sighed. "Heh, you know what?" Her spear disappeared. "I don't actually want to hurt you kids, either. At first, I hated your stupid saccharine shticks, but... the way you hit me right now, it... reminded me of someone I used to train with."

"Asgore." Faye realized.

"Now I know you guys aren't just some wimpy losers," Undyne said. She grinned. "You're wimpy losers with big hearts! Just like him..." She looked down. "Listen, humans. It seems you and ASGORE are fated to fight. But knowing him... he probably doesn't want to. Talk to him. I'm sure you can persuade him to let you all go home. Eventually, some mean humans will fall down here... and I'll take THEIR souls instead! That makes sense, right? Fuhuhuhu!"

"We can only try." Melody sighed. Cody was beaming. He looked like he wanted to hug Undyne.

"We still need to talk 'bout something." Clover said, folding her arms.

"One more thing," Undyne spoke up. "If you DO hurt ASGORE... I'll find some way to cross the barrier... and beat the hell out of you all! That's what friends are for, right? Fuhuhu!" She grinned. "Now, what did you want to talk about? Let's do it OUTSIDE!"

"... what?" Undyne looked shocked. The kids were outside Undyne's house. It was burning. "That... can't be true!" She eyed the eighth human. "There was something off about you - about all of you! But they can't be..." She laughed anxiously. "Well, you're the experts!"

"You'll help us?!" Brayden asked.

"You know it!" Undyne cheered. She gave Brayden a high-five. "I'll tell Papyrus! He'll want to help, too!" She laughed. "THAT FALLEN CHILD WON'T STOP US!" She wiped her brow. "Anyway, that was fun! We'll have to hang out another time...! But, uh, somewhere else, I guess. In the meantime, I guess I'll go hang with Papyrus. So if you need me, drop by Snowdin, okay?"

"Will do so!" Cody said brightly.

"OH!" Undyne chirped. "And if you ever need help... just give Papyrus a ring, okay? Since we're in the same spot, I'll be able to talk too! Well, see ya later, punks!" She ran off.

"SHE WAS AWESOME!" Brayden yelled. Percy felt so tired. The words of his friends became blurry.

"Percy... are you okay?" Melody asked, observing him.

"The power of friendship reminds me of anime..." Percy mumbled. He passed out, his world blacking out.


	20. Percy's perseverance

~Percy~

Percy was sitting by himself in his personal library. There were shelves of books surrounding him and lots of different types of technology - computers, iPads, etc. Percy was reading a book about different kinds of music. He found himself very invested. He was sitting on his favourite purple armchair, right beside the window. Outside, he could see his lavish garden.

There was tons more Percy could do in this mansion, of course. He had his bedroom, which was also full of books, comics and other things. His kitchen had plenty of food. And he didn't have to worry about danger, as there were security cameras that would detect anything suspicious. He had a computer, an iPad, unlimited wifi, a phone, another computer, another iPad, plenty of toys, his own huge backyard and plenty of books.

There was only one thing he didn't have. His family.

Percy looked at a picture of his parents. His mom and dad were wearing labcoats. They were smiling at the camera, their hands on Percy's shoulders. Percy looked out of the window. He hadn't seen his parents for ages. They were archeologists and biologists. They were always travelling, going to different places. They couldn't bring Percy with them. It was too much hassle. So they left him home, their mansion they bought together.

Over time, Percy had had many different babysitters. Some of them were Melody and her family. Other times they were his cousins or young people his parents met. Most of them were pretty nice, but they never understood Percy and why he was so... 'odd'. This irritated him so much. But his parents annoyed him the most.

They sent him birthday presents, Christmas presents, other things they'd found on their travels. Occasionally, they'd come home to spend time with him. But most of the time, they were never there. And they didn't care. Percy felt alone. His parents could give him all the books in the world but he still wouldn't feel better. His battle with anxiety just got worse. He felt more trapped than ever.

"What're you looking at, Percy?" Melody asked, entering the library. She and her family were staying over. Percy looked up from his book.

"A book about music." he answered emotionlessly. He had to keep his voice steady. He didn't want to panic.

"Wow!" Melody said, grinning at him. "That's awesome! I love music! But I bet you knew that already."

"I knew very well." Percy replied.

"Anyway, your mom and dad called..." Melody took a deep breath.

"What did they say?" Percy asked, sounding slightly hopeful.

"They said..." Melody sighed, looking down. "They said they're not coming back for a while, Percy..."

"Oh," Percy said. He felt like his heart had shattered. He forced himself to hold onto his armchair. "I see."

"Are you okay, Percy?" Melody asked, eyeing him.

"I'm fine." Percy said, adjusting his glasses. He pushed his longish hair behind his shoulders. His hands still felt sweaty.

"But...!" Melody exclaimed. "I've got something for you!" She handed Percy a purple notebook with a hard cover. It had an eye design on it. It was stuffed full of crisp, white pages.

Melody sounded regal and responsible. "As your best friend, it's my job to make sure you get only the best presents that I am completely confident you will adore!" She made a face. "(I hope I used the right words...)"

"You did," Percy said. He grinned at the purple notebook. His old notebook was terrible. This one, however, was fabulous, perfect, incredible, beautiful, magnificent, brilliant, and just plain good. But Percy still sounded emotionless as he responded. "Thanks."

Where would I be without you, Melody? he thought.

"You're welcome!" Melody replied. She frowned. "I think my brother's being a goof-ball in your room. He won't listen to me. But he'll listen to you, Percy. Help me, won't you?"

"No one goes in my room." Percy said. He stood up, gripping the notebook. "I'll help you." He almost grinned. Moments with Melody were the best.

He never wanted anything to change.

Ever.

"Percy," Melody approached Percy before school. She sounded serious. "Can I trust you not to tell anyone a secret?"

"Depends on the secret," Percy replied curiously. He looked up.

"Oh... then nevermind." Melody said, shaking her head. "Let's go to class, huh?"

"Alright." mumbled a confused Percy.

Percy was sitting on the grass by himself, reading a book. He was sitting in front of his favourite oak tree. It was a small oak with a thick trunk. Perfect for leaning on. He was waiting for Melody. The book captured him in its adventures, so it was easier to be patient.

Melody came eventually. She was followed by some boy wearing a bandanna and a tank. He had messy brown hair and a big grin. He instantly repelled Percy.

"This is Percy." Melody told the boy. Percy looked up from his book. He eyed the boy.

"You have really long hair!" the boy told Percy, poking his tongue out. He sounded like the type who was desperately trying to be 'tough' and 'manly'. Percy had never been interested in being 'manly'. To him, the concept was stupid. Or maybe it was because Percy couldn't be 'manly'. He just wasn't that type of boy.

"I do." Percy said with a poker face.

"You look like a girl!" the boy scoffed. Percy tapped the cover of his book. He wasn't liking this boy very much.

"That was mean, Brayden!" Melody scolded the boy. Thank goodness for her. Brayden shrugged. He looked at Percy's book.

"Whatcha' reading?" he asked. He sat down next to Percy and leaned over his shoulder. Percy felt uncomfortable. He hated it so much when people did that.

"The heck is Harry Potter?!" Brayden said, examining the book.

"It's about wizards," Percy answered. "Please give it back."

"BOOKS ARE FOR NERDS!" Brayden yelled, throwing the book on the ground. "WHO NEEDS TO READ?!" [A/N: 1v1 me brayden nerds are cool]

Percy looked away. He felt... bad. There was a reason he kept to himself. He didn't want to be judged. He thought people wouldn't judge him for reading, but he guessed he was wrong.

"That wasn't very nice, Brayden." Melody sighed, folding her arms.

"Well, they are!" Brayden insisted. He punched the air.

Percy looked away. He hated this feeling.

Brayden grinned, "You guys need to do cooler stuff! Let's play tag!"

"Tag?" Melody asked. She made a face. "Do we have to run around and be silly? Dude, that's not my thing."

"Don't be so boooriiiinggg, Mel!" Brayden said, folding his arms. "WATCH!" He tapped her shoulder. "TAG! YOU'RE IT!" He ran off. Melody stared at him, not moving. He looked back. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO CHASE AFTER ME! COME ON!"

Brayden looked at Percy. "WHY ARE YOU SITTING AROUND, NERD BOY?! SHE'LL TAG YOU! DO YOU GUYS EVEN KNOW HOW TO PLAY THIS GAME?!"

"I do." Melody said. She sighed. "I'll play for your sake." She chased Brayden around the schoolyard, even though she was wearing her ballet slippers. Percy sat and watched. He hated running around and playing games. The thought of all that made him anxious. And when his anxiety got bad...

"Got you!" Melody said, tapping Brayden's back. "Now you're it!"

"I'M GONNA GET YOU!" Brayden yelled. He chased her around. He managed to grab her and do a fake-tackle, bringing her to the ground. For some reason, this made the duo laugh. They rolled around in the grass, still laughing. They looked like they were having a lot of fun. Melody wasn't complaining at all. She never acted like that with Percy.

She had never acted so happy.

"Oh," Percy commented. He had a blank expression, but he didn't feel very happy inside. "I see how it is." He got up and left, taking his notes with him.

"Percy!" Melody called out. He looked back. "Where are you going?"

"Library." Percy answered. He sounded more emotionless than ever.

"Why?" Melody asked. "I mean, I know you like the library and all, but..."

"I believe it is a place where I feel I belong." Percy answered.

"Whatever's that meant to mean?" Melody asked. Brayden was looking up now too. Percy avoided the temptation to glare at him and his stupid orange eyes. Who the heck even had orange eyes anyway?

"It means it's not with you." Percy replied. He frowned ever-so-slightly.

"I..." Melody began. For once, she looked lost for words. She sounded... sad. Percy walked off, his grip tightening on his book. Now he felt ticked off. His best friend was choosing someone else over him. Percy couldn't believe Melody would ever do that to him. She of all people. His only friend.

Percy felt determined. He wasn't going to lose Melody that easily. She wouldn't stay friends with that... Brayden kid forever. Percy arrived at the library. His breathing was picking up. He pulled out his notebook. He searched the shelves for books on friendship. He also googled various ways to blackmail someone. Then he sat down and wrote out a plan.

The next day, Percy kept an eye on Brayden and Melody. Melody was still hurt by his 'insult', so she wasn't talking to him very much. But right now, he didn't care. He felt she deserved it in the end.

"Y'know," Brayden approached Percy at one point. "You're kinda mean."

"Am I now." Percy responded with no emotion.

"Yeah," Brayden said, eyeing him. "Melody's sad. And you don't want her to be sad! You're her best friend, right?!"

"I know she is upset," Percy replied. "And yes, I am her best friend. But right now I have other things to worry about." He turned away. Brayden grabbed his shoulder.

"Like what?" Brayden asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It does not concern you, Valiance." Percy said, brushing Brayden's gloved hand off. He muttered, "Like you'd understand, anyway."

"You don't have to hide stuff!" Brayden grumbled. "We're friends, right?! I wanna help!"

"I don't need your help," Percy said. He almost sounded aggressive. That's when he knew he could use his plan. He bit his lip. "I know about what happened with the girl that committed suicide."

Brayden looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, what about it?!" He suddenly sounded spiteful.

"What if I told you," Percy almost smirked. "That I have a news report proving that it was your idea to manipulate her into taking her own life." He held up a slip of paper. It was forged, of course. Percy had spent ages making it. Brayden stared at it. "My parents have quite a vast amount of money. We can post it everywhere. Everyone will know. And they will all HATE you."

"WHAT?!" Brayden yelled. He slapped the paper out of Percy's hands. "Why the HECK would you do that?!"

"I did not say I'd do it," Percy pointed out. "I won't do it if you leave Melody and myself alone. But if you stay, I will."

"YOU'RE A JERK!" Brayden yelled. He clenched his fists. "YOU WON'T BE DOING CRAP!" He tried to punch Percy. Percy stepped back, narrowly missing the punch.

"Think about it." Percy told Brayden. "You have one day." Percy walked off. He ignored Brayden yelling insults.

The next day, Melody approached Percy. She looked upset.

"Percy, I can't believe your behaviour!" she scolded him. "I should've told you the secret after all! Then maybe you would've been less of a jerk!"

"What do you mean?" Percy asked. He stayed still.

"Brayden was very upset by the whole... suicide thing," Melody told Percy. "His mom asked me to become friends with him to make him feel better. That's the secret... his mom didn't want me to tell anyone she told me to be friends with Brayden. I didn't like him at first. I didn't think you would either. But, goodness, I kind of like him now!" She folded her arms. "But I don't like the way you're treating him. He's not a bad kid, Percy."

"He's getting too involved." Percy said, frowning.

"It's not forever!" Melody exclaimed. "And how can I say no to a parent? You understand, don't you, Percy?"

"Stop being friends with him." Percy said dryly.

"You're so stu..." Melody tried to remember the word. "Stu... stub..."

"Stubborn." Percy finished.

"That's it!" Melody exclaimed. She eyed Percy. "You're stubborn!" She sighed. "Look, Percy, I know you don't like being friends with a lot of people, but I need to do this. And I can't let you get in the way."

Percy didn't want it to change. His lip trembled. "No."

"Percy!" Melody exclaimed. "You're just as bad as Brayden! You know what? If you hate this all so much, then you can play by yourself!" She stormed off, wiping her eyes. Percy stood there for a few moments, biting his lip. He walked off, hugging his books. He felt mixed inside. He wondered if Brayden was being a jerk. Or if Melody was being the mean one.

Or if Percy himself was being the mean one.

Percy sat by himself, underneath his favourite tree. He was reading another book. He was pretending he didn't feel lonely. He tried to tell himself being lonely was okay. He could get used to it. He ignored the groups of other kids. He was fine. He wasn't jealous.

He could see Melody and Brayden somewhere in the distance. They were speaking to some of Melody's friends from her dancing group. Percy ignored them. He burrowed his face in his book. Books were better friends than humans. Unlike homo sapiens they were loyal to the end.

"Hey, dweeb!" a voice mocked. Percy looked up. It was those bullies. He shivered.

"What do you want?" Percy asked emotionlessly, biting his lip.

"Where's your girlfriend?" the biggest boy asked.

"My best friend is not here right now." Percy replied. He picked up his books.

"Where do you think you're going?" the bullies asked. Their voices sounded dangerous. One of them grabbed his long hair. He yelped.

"Whatcha' got there?" some girl asked. She pointed at his notebook.

"Don't touch that." Percy said, taking a deep breath.

"It's his diary!" the bullies laughed. The biggest boy held the diary high in the air. "You want it back, don'tcha', dweeb? If only your arms were as long as your hair!"

The bullies laughed.

Percy flinched. He hated it when people touched his book. It was strange, but... he had an emotional attachment to it. It was hard to let it go.

"Hey," a voice interrupted them. It belonged to a girl with long, brown hair and intense, yellow eyes. She was wearing a cowboy hat. She had a mock-cowboy accent. "Leave him alone, ya vermin."

"Oh dude, it's her." a boy whispered, shivering. The biggest boy glared at her.

"You win this round, Clover," he growled. He eyed his group. "Come on." The others followed him. Percy sat against the tree, taking a deep breath. He eyed the girl.

"You okay, pardner?" the girl asked, raising her brow. She helped him stand up. "I darn hate those guys. Hope they weren't being too mean to ya."

"I'm fine," Percy replied. He brushed off his sweater. "Your name's Clover, right?"

"Spot on," Clover replied, grinning. "And you're Percy, Melody Trust's friend?"

"... I guess," Percy replied. He adjusted his glasses. "She's friends with this boy named Brayden Valiance now."

"That's the suicide kid, right?" Clover asked. Percy nodded. "Dang, that must suck for him. Hey, isn't that Melody?" Percy turned around. Melody was running towards him.

"Percy, oh my goodness!" she exclaimed, sweat-beading. "I saw you getting picked on and I wanted to do something but then I remembered we're not being friends and stuff so I couldn't but then I remembered it's not right to ignore bullying so I decided to come over but you're okay now..." She eyed Clover.

"Howdy." Clover waved.

"Clover Luckgreen," Melody said, raising her brow. "Thank you for helping out my best friend."

"No problem, pardner," Clover responded. "Though I gotta ask. Why were you trying to not be friends or whatever?"

"It's a long story." Melody answered, frowning. "But it's also a stupid one. We're friends again I think."

"I think too." Percy said, eyeing her. She smiled.

"HEY!" Brayden ran over. "NERD BOY! Those losers were picking on you! I HATE THOSE GUYS!" He eyed Clover. "Your name's Corn or something like that, right?"

"Clover." Clover told him. "Howdy. And you're Brayden Valiance."

"YEAH!" Brayden yelled. He punched the air. "THAT WAS AWESOME, CLOVER! YOU OWNED THOSE LOSERS!"

"Thanks, pardner." Clover replied, folding her arms.

"Did you make some new friends, sis?" another boy came over. He had the same skin and hair colour as Clover. He also had green eyes and short, spiky hair. He was wearing an apron.

"Cody Luckgreen." Melody eyed the boy. "Hello."

"Hi!" Cody waved.

"Are you wearing an apron?" Brayden asked, raising his brow. "That means you have food, right?! I want food!"

"Yeah, I have food!" Cody replied, smiling. "I can show you... Brayden...?"

Brayden nodded.

"Nice, bro," Clover ruffled her brother's hair. The two boys ran off to find some food. Melody came with them to keep them out of trouble (mainly Brayden).

Clover eyed Percy. "Just us now, huh?"

"Yeah," Percy said. He wasn't a group fan but he kind of liked these new people. Especially Clover. Things went a bit awkward for a moment.

"I like your hair," Clover told him, tipping her hat. She was the first person to say that. Ever.

"Thanks," Percy said. "I do want to get it cut, though." He paused. He wondered how to continue the conversation. "Do you... like... anime?"

"What the heck is anime?" Clover asked, making a face.

Percy almost grinned. "We have much to discuss."

Percy felt so angry. Only now did he miss his and Clover's friendship. She was right. What if Chara did do something to him? He didn't want to lose more friendships. Friendship was much more important than he thought.

Why did I have to be so selfish?! he screamed at himself. I'm not the only person on Earth!

He paused. He could see it now. It was so obvious.

I'm absolutely clueless, he thought. I don't know anything at all.

Percy had a strange dream. It was in Waterfall. Sans was hanging around the Garbage Dump, nearby the entrance of Undyne's house. He was sighing, observing his bony palms.

"Howdy," a squeaky voice popped up nearby him. It belonged to Flowey. The flower appeared in front of Sans, smiling. "Smiley trash bag."

"you," Sans growled. "are you looking for another bad time?"

"As much as I would like that..." Flowey chuckled. "I have a deal for you, smiley trash bag."

Sans raised his brow. "why would i make a deal with you?"

"Because it's very important," Flowey replied, smirking. "It'll save everyone."

"how so?" Sans asked, scowling.

"Hee hee hee," Flowey giggled. "Well, you see... it's about those stupid humans."

...

The dream changed. Two children who looked like each other were standing around. One of them seemed to be the eighth human and the other... Percy presumed that was Chara.

Chara was scowling. "How much are you going to hide, fool?" They took a step towards the eighth human. "You will not be able to hide me forever. I will intervene. I will return no matter what you do."

The eighth human turned around, holding out a knife. They approached Chara.

"Violence is your response?" Chara asked. "You are a fool. You will loose control of yourself."

The eighth human brought down the sword. Chara disappeared. The dream began to melt away like chocolate, disappearing from existence. Percy stepped back. He was quivering...

Percy woke up. He placed a hand over his forehead. He removed his glasses, just for a moment. He didn't even realize they were fixed. His brow was covered in sweat. He took a deep breath. His friends were eyeing him.

"Guys," Percy said. "I think we're in a for a bad time."


	21. Showtime!

~Percy~

Percy scanned the room. He put his glasses on. He shook his head. He felt normal again. By normal, he meant both conscious, and he could think about anime. Well, that was all the time.

He was on a couch. A blanket was covering him. He scanned the area around him: a carpeted floor, a bunch of people (great), some monsters (even better), a TV, a kitchen, a table. He recognized this house. Sans and Papyrus' house.

"HUMAN!" Papyrus exclaimed. Percy flinched. He forgot how loud Papyrus was. "YOU ARE AWAKE!"

"PERCY!" Brayden jumped on top of Percy. Because this couldn't get any more uncomfortable. Brayden looked ticked off. "THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! WHAT WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! DON'T FALL ASLEEP ON US!"

"Brayden!" Melody scolded. She pulled him off. "I'm so sorry, Percy. You know how it is." She looked curious, though.

Percy was curious too. What were those dreams about?

"What were you goin' on about, Percy?" Clover asked, folding her arms. She still looked annoyed, yet... slightly relieved.

"I..." Percy shook his head. "I had a strange dream. It was dream that depicted Flowey talking to Sans about 'a deal'? Apparently it would save everyone. Then the stick-wielding human was talking to Chara I believe, and Chara was angry at them."

"Who had a strange dream?" Undyne walked over. She grinned at Percy. "Oh, you're awake! What's up, punk?! Also, don't do that again! I ALMOST freaked out!"

"The ceiling," Percy responded. "Anyway..." He stared at the eighth human again. "Chara said something to you about 'loosing control' yourself. They also mentioned something about coming back. It's getting harder to remember."

The eighth human frowned. They shrugged casually.

"Are you okay, Percy?" Cody asked. "It sounds like a scary dream..."

"On the scale of nightmares, yes, yes it was," Percy admitted. "Tokyo Ghoul is scarier, though."

"(That kid has seen Tokyo Ghoul?!)" Undyne asked. She grinned. "(I LOVE IT!)"

"Well, I don't care what Chara says," Clover said, her arms still folded. "We're gonna stop them."

"YEAH!" Brayden cheered. "CHARA'S GOIN' DOWN!"

"Yes, of course," Melody agreed. She looked at Percy. "Are you sure you're okay, Percy? You passed out and..."

"The energy from my determination," Percy said. He shook his head. "It drained me. But now I feel better." He stood up. His friends smiled at him (mostly). "We should leave if we want to stop Chara."

"oh, percy's awake?" Sans strolled over. "nice."

Percy remembered the dream with Sans and Flowey. He walked over to Sans. "Hey, Sans-"

"HUMAN!" Papyrus held up a plate of spaghetti. Percy bit his lip. "YOU SHOULD TRY MY SPAGHETTI!"

"uh, actually, pap, the humans have gotta go," Sans told his brother. He winked at the kids. Undyne frantically gestured at the door. It seemed she obviously knew about the spaghetti as well. "they've gotta go to hotland."

"OH," Papyrus said. He patted Percy's head with his big, red glove. Percy fixed his hair. "GOOD LUCK, HUMANS!"

No one wanted to walk all the way to Hotland, especially not Percy. Luckily, the eighth human had a solution. There was a boat that went all the way from Snowdin to Hotland. It was driven by a strange, hooded person known as the river person. It was in some part of Snowdin that was connected to a river. The kids climbed onto the boat, floating upon the cool, blue water. The river person drove them to Hotland. They spoke to Faye about random nonsense during the whole journey.

When the kids arrived at Hotland for a second time, the first thing they found other than the barren land was a white laboratory. Percy got excited. He was all about labs (and not the dogs). Especially since his parents were scientists.

"A random laboratory," Faye commented. "That's nice."

"Lab... labo..." Brayden groaned. "Can we go somewhere elseee?"

"The laboratory is the only place we can go," Melody told him. "Those Royal Guards are blocking the way." She pointed to two royal guards blocking another path. "So to the lab we must go."

The kids entered the lab. It was quite dark. There was a faint outline of white walls, a table full of stuff, and a screen with a video of the kids.

"Ooo," Faye said, looking around.

"Someone's recordin' us." Clover said, eyeing the TV.

"YO PEEPS!" Brayden waved at the screen. Faye blushed, looking a little self-conscious. Melody waved at the camera, doing her hair.

"Does someone live here?" Cody asked, looking around. Percy was eyeing that computer. He loved computers to death. There were also some anime-related things surrounding it. He smirked.

The kids passed a bag of dog food. The eighth human stopped. They were staring at a door. It opened, revealing a small, yellow, dinosaur-like monster. She had glasses, buck teeth and was wearing a lab coat. Percy had to admit, she was kind of adorable for a monster, even if her spikes reminded him of Lisa Simpson. The lights switched on.

"Hello!" Cody waved at the monster. Clover was staring at her. Melody had her arms folded. Faye was waving. Percy took out his notes. The eighth human, as usual, didn't care.

"WHAT'S UP!" Brayden yelled.

"Oh," the monster freaked out. She ran around in little circles. "My God. I didn't expect you all to show up so soon! I haven't showered, I'm barely dressed, it's all messy, and..."

"Calm down, pardner," Clover said, folding her arms. "What's your name?"

The monster calmed down. She took a deep breath. "Ummm.... H-h-hiya! I'm Dr. Alphys. I'm ASGORE's royal scientist!"

"ASGORE has a royal scientist?!" Brayden asked. He looked confused. "What's a royal scientist?"

"I, um, basically help the king with scientific issues," Alphys answered, laughing anxiously.

"Lemme guess, you wanna hunt us down?" Clover asked, raising her brow.

"Oh, no!" Alphys squeaked. "No no no! I'm, uh, not of the 'bad guys'! Actually, since you all stepped out of the RUINS, I've been, um... I've been observing your journey through my console."

"So you've been stalking us..." Faye realized. Everyone stared at Alphys.

"I-it's not like that!" Alphys said, waving her arms. "I saw it all... your fights... your friendships... everything! I was originally going to stop you, but... watching you guys going through the underground like a little family... it was so cute, I started rooting for you instead! S-so, ahh, now I want to help you all!" She whispered, "Also, Fayeden is my new OTP."

Percy nodded in agreement.

"SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE HECK IS FAYEDEN?!" Brayden asked.

"Uh..." Alphys looked away for a moment. "Using my knowledge, I can easily guide you through Hotland! I know a way right to ASGORE's castle, no problem!"

"Although, Papyrus already told us a way," Melody pointed out. "We have to go to the end of this cavern, he said."

Alphys nodded. "Well, I-I can help you get there faster!" She paused. "There's, um, actually just a tiny issue."

"Oh no!" Cody commented. Melody sighed. Percy opened his notes. Whatever this issue was, he wanted to know about it.

"Tiny?!" Brayden asked, folding his arms. "We can take it!"

"Eh..." Alphys laughed anxiously. "A long time ago, I made a robot named Mettaton. Originally, I built him to be an entertainment robot. Uh, you know, like a robotic TV star or something."

"Like Vocaloids?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, kind of like them," Alphys agreed. "Anyway, recently I decided to make him more useful. You know, just some small practical adjustments. Like, um..." She sounded nervous again. "Anti... anti-human combat features?"

"Are you kiddin' me?" Clover groaned.

"Well that's just great!" Melody groaned sarcastically.

"Not at all like Vocaloids." Percy sighed with disappointment.

"YEAH! MORE FIGHTING!" Brayden cheered. Everyone stared at him. "OH COME ON!"

Everyone was glaring at Alphys (aside from some obvious kids who don't glare and the eighth human who doesn't care, heyyyy rhyming). She looked so embarrassed.

"Can we stop him?" Cody asked.

"Well, of c-course, when I saw you guys coming, I immediately decided..." Alphys paused. "I have to remove those features! Unfortunately, I may have made a teensy mistake while doing so." Everyone stared at Alphys again. "And.. now's he an unstoppable killing machine with a thirst for human blood?"

"Are you KIDDIN' me?!" Clover grumbled.

"Tiny issue?" Melody asked. "More like huge hassle!"

"You shouldn't have been watching human sci-fi films," Percy said, adjusting his glasses. "It really changes your perception on robots."

"But I like robots..." Faye sighed.

"YEAH!" Brayden yelled, punching the air. "HE'S GOING DOWN!" Everyone stared at him. "GUYYSSSS!"

"Well, we might not run into him, right, Alphys?" Cody asked Alphys.

"Hopefully not, Cody, eh heh heh!" Alphys chuckled. "(That is your name, right?)"

Cody nodded.

Suddenly, there was a bump. It sounded like someone was coming.

"The heck was that?" Brayden asked. He clenched his fists. ("It sounds like my sister when she's cranky!")

"Sounds like someone's walking over here..." Faye commented. Clover held out her pistol. Melody held out her ballet slipper. Percy took notes. Because that's his thing.

"Oh no." Alphys commented, fear in her eyes.

"OHHH YES!" an overly dramatic, robotic voice called. There was a flash of light. "WELCOME, BEAUTIES..."

A robot appeared. He looked like a calculator with red and yellow buttons on his... chest...? Why is it so darn hard to describe monsters? He had a bunch of dials as well. He moved around on a lone, motorized wheel. In a gloved hand, he was wielding a microphone. He was definitely not a vocaloid.

"Is that a calculator?!" Brayden asked. He frowned. "NO! I HATE MATHS!"

"That's a robot, Brayden." Melody sighed.

"... TO TODAY'S QUIZ SHOW!" the robot continued, ignoring Brayden. The kids stood in a line. Streamers with their SOUL colours were everywhere. Percy was covered in purple streamers. He couldn't complain. He had long, purple hair. He looked like a lot of his favourite anime characters.

"I HATE QUIZ SHOWS!" Brayden yelled. "THEY'RE SO BORING!"

"I like quiz shows," Percy commented. "Aside from when the contestants don't know anything."

"You could be in a quiz show, Percy." Melody told him. He shrugged.

"OH BOY!" Mettaton shouted (Percy guessed that was him). "I CAN ALREADY TELL IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT SHOW! EVERYONE GIVE A BIG HAND FOR OUR WONDERFUL CONTESTANTS!"

More streamers appeared.

"Wait, are we on TV?" Cody asked. He looked at the cameras and waved. "Hi, Dad!"

"Your father won't see this broadcast," Percy told Cody. "I've tried calling numbers from home. They don't connect to the surface."

"Oh..." Cody looked dejected. He cheered up again and waved at the camera. "Hi, Sans, Papyrus, and Undyne!"

Percy sighed. He had to admit, that kid was pretty adorable.

"Hey, we've never played before," Clover spoke up, folding her arms. She was glaring at Mettaton. "This ain't fair!"

"And there are too many streamers!" Melody complained. She was covered in them. "I look like an octopus!"

"You look more like Miyuki Shiba from Mahouka Koukou, actually." Percy told Melody.

"Who on Earth is that?" Melody asked, raising her brow.

"Miyuki Shiba?" Alphys asked. She gasped. "Wow! S-she's so beautiful!"

"Beautiful...?" Melody asked. She blushed. "Thanks, Percy."

Again, it was unlike him to compliment. But Melody really reminded him of Miyuki Shiba. [A/N: Feel free to google search her. XD]

"NEVER PLAYED BEFORE?" Mettaton asked. "NO PROBLEM! IT'S SIMPLE! THERE'S ONLY ONE RULE. ANSWER CORRECTLY..." He paused for dramatic effect. "OR YOU DIE!" A battle started.

Mettaton attacks!

"YEAH!" Brayden yelled. "LET'S GO!" Percy eyed the eighth human. They nodded.

Mettaton 10 ATK 999 DEF. His mental body renders him invulnerable to attack.

"Notes taken." Percy took the notes.

"LET'S START WITH AN EASY ONE!" Mettaton yelled. "What's the prize for answering correctly?" The souls of the kids were standing in the middle of four answers. They started bickering over the answer.

"Oh look, Alphys is giving us the answer." Faye commented, noticing Alphys. Her claws were shaped into a 'D'. The eighth human selected the answer before anyone could say anything. More streamers rained down on the kids.

"RIGHT!" Mettaton exclaimed, waving his arm in the air. "SOUNDS LIKE YOU GET IT!"

The quiz show continues.

The eighth human, as usual, knew all the answers. Percy couldn't blame them. They were from another timeline, after all.

"What kind of prize is more questions?" Melody asked, folding her arms.

"Stop complainin', Melody." Clover grumbled.

"Oh says you." Melody grumbled. The eighth human spared Mettaton and let him have his turn before the argument could escalate. Percy was thankful for that.

"HERE'S YOUR TERRIFIC PRIZE!" Mettaton exclaimed. "What's the king's full name?"

Four more answers appeared.

"It's ASGORE DREEMURR," Faye said. "Undyne told us."

The eighth human nodded. They pressed the answer. There was even more confetti. Melody groaned.

"CORRECT!" Mettaton yelled. "WHAT A TERRIFIC ANSWER!"

The quiz show continues.

Percy took down more notes. He wanted to see if Mettaton had any sort of weakness.

"Do you guys think if we threw Mettaton in a pit of water his body would malfunction?" he asked his friends.

"Maybe...?" Cody answered.

"I guess." Clover shrugged. "I dunno 'bout robots."

"I wanna do that now!" Brayden yelled.

"ENOUGH ABOUT YOU," Mettaton spoke up.

"We weren't even talking about ourselves!" Melody complained.

"LET'S TALK ABOUT ME!" Mettaton ignored her. "What are robots made of?"

Four more answers appeared again.

"Sugar and spice and everything nice," Faye recited. "Snips and snails and puppy dog tails."

"You know that poem?" Percy asked, eyeing her. She nodded. "I respect you."

"Why would you want to cut off a puppy's tail?" Cody asked, looking mortified.

"It's a metaphor," Percy told him. "Apparently, that's what little boys are made of. Like you, Brayden and myself. Little girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice. Like Clover, Melody and Faye." [A/N: I think it would probably be salt rather than sugar for Melody. XD]

"What about the stick kid?" Faye asked.

"A mix, I presume." Percy answered. The eighth human answered Metal and Magic to Mettaton's question, which was correct. Confetti was everywhere.

"HERE'S ANOTHER EASY ONE FOR YOU!" Mettaton yelled. It was a really long question about mathematics that the author is too lazy to type out. Percy pulled out his notes. He could solve this question.

"MATHS!" Brayden yelled. "DANG IT!"

"Okay," Percy said, looking up from his notes. "I'm about halfway there-" The eighth human chose the right answer without even looking at Alphys. "Oh. Nevermind."

It seemed they were incredibly intelligent as well. Percy thought of something.

"Hey," he asked them. "Do you like anime?" They nodded. Percy then decided they weren't so bad. "Which one/s do you like?" The eighth human grinned. "Yeah, I like Pokemon as well. Yes, I have played the games. All of them." He tried not to laugh nervously. "They're definitely some of my favourite video games. What's your favourite Pokemon game?"

"HEY!" Brayden yelled. "WE'RE FIGHTING HERE!"

"We'll talk later." Percy said, nodding at them. They gave him a thumbs up.

"DON'T 'COUNT' ON YOUR VICTORY..." Mettaton said. "How many flies are in this jar?"

A jar full of flies appeared.

"NOT MORE MATHS!" Brayden groaned.

"That's animal cruelty..." Faye said, frowning at all the trapped flies. Percy observed the jar. He noticed the eighth human. As usual they already had the answer. He sighed. That kid was too smart. In the end, they were the one with all the knowledge. And not him. He was the one who listened to Chara.

He really was clueless.

"LET'S PLAY MEMORY GAME!" Mettaton exclaimed. "What monster is this?" A picture of half a Froggit's face appeared. Percy whipped out his notes. It was definitely Froggit.

"That's the frog, right?" Brayden asked.

"Froggit." Percy told him. The eighth human shook their head. They made a few gestures.

"Whaddya mean that's Mettaton?" Clover asked.

"Yes, Mettaton is clearly not a Froggit." Melody agreed. The eighth human selected the Mettaton response anyway. The picture ended up being Mettaton wearing a Froggit shirt.

"I'M SO FLATTERED YOU REMEMBERED!" Mettaton cheered. Percy wondered how and why. "BUT CAN YOU GUESS THIS ONE? Would you smooch a ghost?"

All the responses were Heck Yeah.

"What kind of question is that?" Melody asked. "Why would you smooch a ghost?"

"Love is love." Clover responded.

"I guess if it was a nice ghost." Cody commented. Clover gave him a weird look. "A nice ghost...?"

"I wouldn't smooch a ghost, but there are a few anime characters..." Percy trailed off. "Um, nevermind."

The eighth human, with a -_- face, selected 'Heck Yeah' from the responses.

"GREAT ANSWER!" Mettaton yelled, waving his arm. "I LOVE IT! HERE'S A SIMPLE ONE. How many letters in the name Mettaton nnnn..." The ns continued. Alphys and the eighth human already knew the answer. Percy sighed dejectedly.

"This quiz show is so weird." Melody commented, shaking her head.

"I like the confetti." Faye said.

"I like the anime references." Percy said, adjusting his glasses. The eighth human chose their answer.

"OF COURSE THAT WAS EASY FOR YOU!" Mettaton exclaimed. "TIME TO BREAK OUT THE BIG GUNS! In the dating simulation video game 'Mew Mew Kissy Cutie', what is Mew Mew's favourite food?"

"OH! OH! I KNOW THIS ONE!" Alphys and Percy screamed together, totally in sync. "IT'S SNAIL ICE-CREAM! IN THE FOURTH CHAPTER EVERYONE GOES TO THE BEACH AND SHE BUYS ICE-CREAM FOR ALL OF HER FRIENDS BUT IT'S SNAIL FLAVOUR AND SHE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS IT! IT'S ONE OF MY FAVOURITE PARTS OF THE GAME BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY A..."

"... very powerful message about friendship." Percy finished. He and Alphys stared at each other. They blushed.

Melody face-palmed. "Oh Percy..."

"ALPHYS, ALPHYS, ALPHYS," Mettaton said, wagging his finger. "YOU AREN'T HELPING OUR CONTESTANTS, ARE YOU?"

Alphys shook her head.

"To be fair, she was a little." Clover said. "But then again, they also know everything." She pointed at the eight human. They shrugged innocently.

"OOOOHHHH!" Mettaton yelled. "YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME. I'LL ASK A QUESTION... YOU'LL BE SURE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO! Who does Dr. Alphys have a crush on?" The options were Undyne, Asgore, the Penguin Squad, and don't know. Percy remembered the Penguin Squad. It was beautiful.

"What on Earth is the Penguin Squad?" Melody asked.

"Crippling depression," that weirdo said, peeking out of their flying trash can. "IT'S STILL 2010!"

"Good gravy." Melody face-palmed.

"We don't know who Alphys' crush is, let's say Don't Know." Clover said, folding her arms.

"We can't say that," Percy argued. He'd been noticing how Undyne spoke about Alphys... it reminded him of Fayeden. Alphys and Undyne. It spoke to him like anime. His voice, for once, was full of sincerity and emotion. "Alphys and Undyne is my new OTP. We have to say Undyne."

Clover was giving him an unfriendly glance. Percy adjusted his glasses. He had a feeling Clover was still annoyed about the whole Chara issue. Even if everyone else was normal towards him, she wouldn't be.

The eighth human, however, was nodding at him. Percy was surprised they weren't upset about the Chara issue. They were the one hunting Chara after all. Yet they didn't seem bothered in the slightest. At least, Percy hoped so.

"Alphys and Undyne sounds... kind of cute..." Faye commented. Percy was glad someone agreed. Cody shrugged like he didn't mind. Melody folded her arms. Brayden looked confused. He gave Percy a thumbs up. The eighth human chose Undyne.

"SEE, ALPHYS?" Mettaton asked. "I TOLD YOU IT WAS OBVIOUS. EVEN THE HUMANS FIGURED IT OUT." Alphys looked so embarrassed. She was blushing crimson. He ranted, "YES, SHE SCRAWLS HER NAME IN THE MARGINS OF HER NOTES. SHE NAMES PROGRAMMING VARIABLES AFTER HER. SHE EVEN WRITES STORIES OF THEM TOGETHER... SHARING A DOMESTIC LIFE. PROBABILITY OF CRUSH: 101 PERCENT. MARGIN OF ERROR: 1 PERCENT."

"Wow," Cody commented. "I didn't realize Alphys felt that way!"

"If only other people would reveal their feelings about each other." Melody sighed, eyeing Brayden and Faye.

"What're you lookin' at, Mel?" Brayden asked, crossing his arms. Faye simply blushed. The eighth human wiggled their eyebrows. Percy almost smirked.

"WELL WELL WELL," Mettaton sounded... mischievous. "I SEE UNDYNE X ALPHYS IS NOT THE ONLY PAIRING HERE?" He pointed at Brayden and Faye.

"W-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Brayden asked, sweat-beading. Faye was blushing hardcore.

"YOU TWO ARE ADORABLE," Mettaton exclaimed. "YOU SIMPLY MUST KISS!"

"Damn baby." the author said, looking out from their trash can in the background. They were still hanging with the Penguin Squad. Faye and Brayden looked extremely flustered.

"No no no, they're kids!" Melody grumbled. "You can't make them!"

"I'M A MAN!" Brayden argued, glaring at her.

"BRAYDEN I'M OLDER THAN YOU!" Melody spat back.

"WHAT?! SINCE WHEN?!" Brayden asked, genuinely confused.

"SINCE I WAS BORN!" Melody replied.

"WELL WELL WELL," Mettaton spoke up. "WITH DR. ALPHYS HELPING YOU... THE SHOW HAS NO DRAMATIC TENSION! WE CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS."

"Aww, that was kind of fun." Cody said, frowning. Percy had to agree. He liked answering questions. Even if other people already knew the answers.

"BUT." Mettaton wagged a finger. "BUT! THIS WAS JUST THE PILOT EPISODE! NEXT UP, MORE DRAMA! MORE BLOODSHED! UNTIL NEXT TIME, DARLINGS...!"

He turned into a rocket and flew away.

"AW C'MON ON!" Brayden complained, still blushing a little. "We didn't even get to fight him!"

"Who wanted to, anyway?" Melody asked, making a face.

"I did!" Brayden yelled.

"Did anyone else?" Melody asked. Brayden groaned.

"Well that was certainly something." Alphys commented, making a face. Percy had to agree.

"I suppose we'd better be off, y'all." Clover said, eyeing the exit. Percy didn't want to leave just yet. He wanted to observe the laboratory, speak to Dr. Alphys and the eighth human about anime, then speak to Dr. Alphys about science...

"Wait, wait!" Alphys squeaked. She raced over to the kids. She wasn't much taller than any of them. "Let me give you my ph-phone number! Th-then... m-maybe... if you need I help, I could..."

She gasped, observing the kids' phone. "Wh... where'd you get that phone!? It's ANCIENT! It doesn't even have texting!"

"I know, right?" Percy asked. That phone had been bothering him the whole journey. "I want to fix it up but I don't have the resources to do so."

"W-well, I can help with that!" Alphys said, grinning. "Because, I, um, do have the resources!"

"Thank goodness." Percy replied. Alphys took the phone. Percy, feeling curious, decided to follow her. She raced into a small room, Percy just behind her. Though she was unaware he was there.

Strangely enough, in the room, Percy could hear Alphys... talking to someone.

"DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN STOP SEVEN HUMANS?" a voice asked. It was Mettaton. "WERE YOU NOT LISTENING? THEY'RE ON A MISSION TO STOP THAT FALLEN ANGEL."

"I-I know, I know..." Alphys replied anxiously. "But... I just need to do this... you understand, right, Mettaton?"

"I HAVE A FEELING THIS WILL NOT WORK THE WAY YOU PLANNED IT," Mettaton replied. "BUT REGARDLESS, IF YOU'RE SO CONFIDENT, I WILL HELP YOU. TOODLES, DARLING!"

Mettaton flew away on a rocket, like he did previously. Alphys shivered.

"Alphys?" Percy asked. Alphys jumped.

"O-oh my God!" she yelped. "Percy! I... I didn't see you there!" She looked nervous. "You didn't... happen to see anything odd, right?"

"Why were you talking to Mettaton?" Percy asked.

"Oh, uh, that was about, um..." Alphys paused. "A technical issue! Yeah, a technical issue. Don't worry! It's nothing serious."

Percy frowned. He had a feeling she was lying.

"Anyway, I need to upgrade your phone!" Alphys chuckled. She upgraded the phone at lightning speed. Percy was, needless to say, hella impressed.

"You'll have to teach me how to upgrade phones that quickly." he told her.

"I-I will one day, Percy," Alphys said. She handed him the phone. "Here, much better. It can do texting, it's got a keychain... I even signed you and your friends up for the Underground's No. 1 social network! Now we're all officially friends! Eheheh... heheh..." She gasped. "Also! I have phones like that one for all your friends." She handed Percy six phones. He carried them all like they were his children.

"Can I alter my username?" Percy asked. Alphys nodded. Percy opened the phone. He changed his username to 'OtakuBoy'.

He nodded. "Alphys. I hear you're a fan of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie?"

"Y-yeah," Alphys said, blushing. "I really like it..."

"Me too," Percy agreed. "In season 1, Mew Mew is so cute 'cause..."

Percy and Alphys returned to the others. They were still talking about anime.

"YOU GUYS ARE TOO SLOW!" Brayden whined. Percy handed him a phone. He grinned. "Cool! I have a phone now!"

Percy gave everyone else a phone too. "I hope you all know how to use a phone, otherwise I will be severely disappointed."

"How the heck do you turn this thing on?!" Brayden asked, checking out the phone. He accidentally took a selfie.

"Ay yi yi." Percy groaned.

"Um, well, you guys have fun!" Alphys said. "I'm... going to the bathroom!" She went into the bathroom. Yellow feet were tapping just behind the door.

The kids spent a bit of time exploring Alphys' lab, even if Melody said it was extremely bad manners. Percy found 'human history' in Alphys' bedroom, which was actually manga and anime. He realized this is what Undyne must've seen. Poor naive Undyne. Or lucky, actually. He sat down and read some of the manga. Part of him wanted to stay here and read manga forever, but another part of him knew he couldn't do that. He'd have to leave eventually. Or would he...? Percy thought about the Chara thing again. He realized something.

Something that could help his friends.

"Percy," a voice spoke up. It was Clover. Percy almost jumped. "We're going now."

"Okay." Percy said, standing up. He put the anime away. Clover had her arms folded. She was staring at him with her yellow eyes. It was a little bit intimidating.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't stare at me like that." Percy said. He sounded dryer than before.

"I'm just worried, Perce," Clover said. She sounded slightly less agitated. "I don't want anything to happen, y'know? The whole Chara thing's kinda freakin' me out."

"You're right to be suspicious," Percy said. "According to my research, my death may have given Chara more power. Was I possessed by them? I can't tell. But I have come to a conclusion. Anything that happens will most likely be my fault." He took off his glasses. He rubbed the lenses.

"I don't think I can come with everyone else anymore. Look what's already happened. I passed out. That's an unnatural occurrence. I have given everyone a great reason to be upset." He paused, biting his lip. "Go on, Clover. I'll stay here. Alphys won't mind."

Creases appeared around Clover's eyes. "You're a soul of perseverance, right? Doesn't sound very... persevering to me."

"Maybe I'm just different." Percy said. He observed his cloudy glasses. "That's my conclusion. You had better go. Leave without me."

Clover looked away for a moment. She looked back.

"We're not gonna leave you here," she told him sternly. "Like Brayden said, we're a team. We have to stick together, Perce." She sighed. "If Chara has done somethin' bad to ya, I'll make sure they pay. And you can fight too. Giving up is probably what Chara wants. So get up, pardner." She offered Percy a hand.

Percy refused. He didn't want anyone to get hurt. He couldn't risk it. Clover dropped her mock-cowboy accent for a bit.

"Percy," she said. "Everyone will miss you if you don't come. We need everyone on this journey. What's your quote, determination is the only way to survive this world?" She paused. "You can't give up. Yeah, you may be possessed or whatever by Chara, but we can deal with it. You're still Percy. That's what Melody was sayin' to me." She held out her hand. "C'mon, pardner. I believe in you."

Percy accepted her hand. He didn't know what to feel. He smiled a little bit.

"Thanks," he replied. "Lucky. According to my..." He paused. His smile grew a little bigger. "... heart, that's what you are."

"You've got emotions, now, huh?" Clover asked, raising her brow.

"Try as I might..." Percy smiled. Just a little. "I'm human too." Clover gave him a noogie. He fixed his hair immediately afterwards.

"Let's go." Clover said.


	22. Welcome to Hotland

~Cody~

Cody didn't really like to hate, but since he was wearing an apron and a long-sleeved shirt and pants, he really couldn't bring himself to like hot weather. He did, however, really like his friends. Don't we all?

He stayed nearby Clover, wiping sweat off his brow. She and Percy were walking side by side. Cody was glad his sister wasn't mad at Percy anymore. Cody found Percy a bit strange sometimes, but he generally enjoyed Percy's presence. Percy was very smart and he knew a lot about everything (unless it involved interacting with the human species).

Cody left his sister and Percy and hung around Faye and Melody. He thought Faye was really nice. Quiet, but really nice. Melody was strict, but Cody liked her too. She was at least nice to him. Brayden was ahead, checking out his phone. The eighth human was with him. Cody liked Brayden, even if he was loud and ever so slightly aggressive. But he liked food, like Cody. Oh and just about the entire population.

The eighth human was really weird. But they were so generous and caring. Cody hoped he could be like them. He didn't want to be mean to people. He only wanted to help. His sister said he was too caring, but Cody couldn't help it. He was going to be kind to everyone, like his mom wanted him to…

Cody's phone buzzed. So did everyone else's. Alphys had posted a status on the Undernet. Cody read it.

...

ALPHYS: just realized i didn't watch undyne fight the humans. well i know shes unbeatable I'll ask her abt it later ^_^

OtakuBoy: It's a shame you didn't get to watch that, I had an awesome transformation scene that was soooo anime.

Ilovecooking6: What does so anime mean?

~MelodyTrust~: It means it has to do with anime and such.

sevenleafclover: guys why are we posting online? we can just talk irl

SUPERMAN: WAIT WHO THE HECK ARE ALL YOU GUYS?! I'M SO CONFUSED!

...

The kids approached a bunch of conveyor belts.

"AWESOME!" Brayden yelled.

"Looks dizzy." Melody commented. Cody had to agree.

...

ALPHYS: for now i gotta call up the humans and guide them ^-^

~MelodyTrust~: That won't be necessary, we have the stick kid. Right?

mynameisnotchara: …

...

Cody, riding on the conveyor belt, wasn't really looking where he was going. He ran into a monster named Vulkin. It was a kawaii volcano with little legs. Cody found it adorable. He loved cute things.

"You're adorable!" he squeaked, wrapping his arms around the mini volcano. It burned his skin. The pain made him want to scream in horror. His HP decreased. But the Vulkin cheered so brightly Cody couldn't bring himself to be angry.

"Bro!" his over-protective sister, however, got very angry. She joined the battle. She had her hand on her pistol. A gift from their dad. She glared at the Vulkin.

"It's just a little monster, sis…" Cody told Clover.

"Vulkin is helping!" Vulkin cheered.

"See?" Cody asked, smiling. Clover didn't look convinced. Cody pouted. His sister was too stubborn. Some of the others came over, including the eighth human. Cody knew his sister would hold back now. She'd told him how concerned she was when she shot the eighth human back in the RUINS. Even if they had healing powers, she was still furious with herself.

"Aww, that's adorable…" Faye said, admiring the Vulkin.

"Did I miss out on the fight?!" Brayden asked. He groaned. "Oh come on!"

The eighth human spared the Vulkin. The kids went on more conveyor belts.

"Whee." Percy said emotionlessly, riding on a conveyor belt. Cody stayed with his sister and the eighth human.

...

ALPHYS: gonna call them in a minute ^.^

sevenleafclover: you said that a min ago pardner…

...

The kids continued walking across conveyor belts. Cody found them kind of fun, but he wasn't sure the others did. Melody didn't. Percy didn't have any reaction, as shown above. Faye didn't seem to like them too much. The eighth kid didn't care.

"THESE ARE THE BEST!" Brayden yelled. He ran ahead. The eighth human and Melody followed him.

...

i'mfayedingaway: i think its really pretty here, am i the only one

~MelodyTrust~: You think everywhere is pretty, Faye. There's lava and stuff everywhere! I'm boiling. How is this pretty?

i'mfayedingaway: theres beauty in everything if you know where to look ;)

OtakuBoy: Your username is misspelled.

i'mfayedingaway: its a pun, 'faye-ding' away, remember

OtakuBoy: I remember that. But spelling errors annoy me to unmeasurable lengths.

sevenleafclover: guys seriously we can talk irl... we're right next to each other.

OtakuBoy: 'Talking irl' is for people who are actually social, unlike me. I am an anti-social garbage can of a human.

ponystoriesandothers: Hey it's me in a nutshell.

Ilovecooking6: No you're not! You're great, percy!

OtakuBoy: Great at being an antisocial garbage can of a human, that is.

~MelodyTrust~: Percy I will smack you in real-life if you don't shush.

SUPERMAN: WHAT DOES ANTI-SOCIAL MEAN?!

...

The eighth human did that strange thing where they paused for a moment at a random spot. Cody wasn't exactly sure why they did that. He walked over to them.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking," he began. "Why do you… randomly stand somewhere for a few seconds…?" The eighth human cocked their head. "Oh… that's okay. You don't have to tell me."

"STEAM VENTS!" Brayden yelled, eyeing some steam vents ahead. "I LOVE THIS PLACE!"

...

ALPHYS: I HATE USING THE PHONE I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS LMAO ^.^

OkatuBoy: I also have a strong dislike for calling people.

~MelodyTrust~: Oh for goodness' sake Percy…

...

"Oh, jumping!" Melody exclaimed, eyeing the vents. She eagerly hopped over to the vents.

Tsunderplane gets in the way! Not on purpose or anything.

Melody groaned. "Are you kidding me?!"

"Tsundere!" Percy squealed. He joined Melody. So did the eighth kid. They got close to Tsunderplane. But not too close.

"Eeeh?" Tsunderplane asked, blushing. "Human…?" Cody watched the eighth human dodge Tsunderplane's bombs. They… sensually stroked Tsunderplane's wings. Clover covered his eyes.

"We don't need to see that." she told him.

"I'll take your word for it, sis." he said.

Clover led him over to some vents. They flew over the pits of boiling lava. It was a little intimidating. Clover grabbed his hand. Cody decided to tolerate it. She led him over the vents. She was using her other hand to hold onto her hat. Cody's apron was flying up. Thankfully he was wearing clothes underneath it.

They were actually getting ahead of the others, aside from Brayden and the eighth human, who were always ahead. Somehow. Clover faced her brother.

"Cody," she said. They were standing on a path. Cody eyed his sister. "I wanted to say-"

...

ALPHYS: omg ive had my claw over the last digit for five minutes omg i'm just gonna do it i'm just gonna call!

SUPERMAN: WELL HURRY THE HECK UP!

~MelodyTrust~: Don't rush her, Brayden! That's so rude!

OtakuBoy: Impatient, actually.

...

Clover groaned. She rolled her eyes. "I don't really like this UnderNet stuff. We're pretty much next to each other, ain't we?" She paused. "That's not what I wanted to say. I wanted to say-"

"WASSUP!" Brayden jumped in between them and grabbed their shoulders, a big grin on his face. The eighth human stood on the side, staring at the lava. "What're you two talking about?"

"Why do you need to know?" Clover asked, folding her arms.

"'Cause I wanna know!" Brayden replied, blowing a raspberry.

"You three!" Melody came over as well. Percy and Faye were following her. "We're splitting up and going all over the place! It's chaos! Let's stick together a little more!"

"At least we have the UnderNet," Percy replied. "We can contact each other easily."

Clover frowned.

"That's a good point." Melody said, shrugging. "Let's go on."

Clover glanced at Cody. Cody had a feeling she wanted to talk about the Gaster thing again. Since Cody had passed out back there, she had become a lot more protective. It made Cody a little annoyed. He just wanted to help Gaster. There was nothing wrong with that.

Cody had wondered how to get in contact with Gaster (and that strange child) again. His friends had no idea... though Faye had hinted at something.

"I saw a lot of things in my dreams," she said. "Maybe you will too."

"So I just need to go to sleep?" Cody asked. He wondered what Faye saw in her dreams...

"If you're lucky," Faye shrugged. "I don't see anything anymore. But maybe you will, Cody. Because I think they're speaking to you."

"Who?" Cody asked.

"The people in your dreams." Faye replied, giving him a small smile. Then she got distracted by Brayden, so Cody couldn't talk to her anymore.

But it sure did give him a lot of mind candy.

The kids came across some lasers. Alphys awkwardly called and explained their deal. They were blue and orange. Blue ones you couldn't move, and orange ones you had to move. Cody gripped his burnt pan. He was okay with these things, but they weren't his favourite. Undyne's battle was easier. He was surprised how easy it was. He was going to say something during the battle, but then Percy…

Papyrus' battle had been slightly difficult. Toriel's was a heartache. Apparently Faye was a lot scarier than she looked.

Cody really liked Toriel. He hadn't had a mother figure in a long time. He missed her. He liked Papyrus and Undyne as well… even if Papyrus' spaghetti was terrible. Undyne was just cool. He felt everyone could admire her.

...

ALPHYS posted a picture. It was a trash can with several pink, glittery filters over it.

ALPHYS: CUte PIC OF ME RIGHT NOW ^.^

~MelodyTrust~: How many people think they're trashcans?

ponystoriesandothers: Penguin Squad dude.

~MelodyTrust~: Please leave.

SUPERMAN: WE CAN POST PICTURES?! WAIT A SEC!

SUPERMAN posted a picture. It was a picture of Brayden grinning and flexing.

SUPERMAN: YEAH THAT'S THE STUFF!

~MelodyTrust~: Oh for goodness' sake…

i'mfayedingaway added SUPERMAN'S picture to the collection, 'cute pics'.

mynameisnotchara: ;)

OtakuBoy: ;) ;)

i'mfayedingaway: oh that's… um… i'm going now.

...

Alphys suddenly rung.

"Alphys here!" She took a deep breath of relief. "Th… the northern door will stay locked until you… s-solve the puzzles on the right and left."

"Puzzles?" Brayden asked. He groaned. "REALLY?!"

"The stick-wielding child will solve them." Percy said dryly. Cody flashed Percy a glance of sympathy. He thought Percy was good at puzzles, even if the eighth human kept doing them all.

"I… I think you s-should g-g-go to the right first!" Alphys squeaked. She hung up. Ahead of the kids were split paths that led to the puzzles. As usual, the eighth human knew what to do. They headed off to the right.

"I'm gonna go help 'em," Clover said. She trailed after the eighth human. "Y'all do what you want." She looked at Cody. He gave her a smile. Clover followed the eighth human. Cody approached Percy.

"Hey," he said. "Let's go and solve the puzzle on the left. I'm sure the stick kid won't mind! It'll probably help them, actually."

"Alright." Percy said. He stood up. Cody smirked. The boys went left. The puzzle was blocked off by a blue laser.

"Alphys! Here!" Alphys rung them. "Th-that blue laser seems totally impassable! B-b-but! As the Royal Scientist, I h-have some tricks up my sleeve! I'll h-hack into the Hotland database and take it out!"

Alphys did just that. The laser disappeared.

"Wow!" Cody said brightly.

...

Ilovecooking6: Good job, alphys!

ALPHYS: thanks? 0_0

...

"Oh my goodness, Cody," Percy spoke up. He eyed Cody. "I was speaking to some monsters (who looked like anime school girls) and they said the puzzles reactivated randomly. It means someone must have hacked them, like Alphys just did. That means, if I can figure this out… I can hack the rest of the puzzles, then we will have no more puzzles to solve. Then I will be the puzzle master."

He paused for dramatic effect.

"Ha ha ha." His laugh was dry and emotionless. "Oh no, I sounded like a stereotypical Disney villain."

"Wow!" Cody was really confused. "That sounds great, Percy!"

"Yes," Percy replied. "Go ahead and solve the puzzle yourself. I'm going to start hacking." He sat down and played with his phone.

"I'm not very good with puzzles…" Cody admitted.

"Miku!" Percy replied, captivated by his phone. Cody sighed. He went inside a little room. In there was a puzzle. It was a bunch of boxes with arrows pointing at them. He read the instructions.

(Shoot the opposing ship!) (Move the boxes to complete your mission.)

It was ever so slightly perplexing. Cody pressed some buttons. He moved some boxes around. Next to the arrow on his side were two bullets.

"Okay," he mumbled. "I can do this." He moved more boxes. He tried to create a clear path to shoot at the 'opposing ship'.

...

OkatuBoy: Accomplices, when you're finished with the puzzles, come to me. I've got to tell you all something about other puzzles. Also, listen to these songs...

Cody saw Percy had posted a lot of songs about something called 'vocaloid'. And also 'Top Ten Anime Theme Songs'.

Cody laughed. He didn't really expect anything else from Percy.

SUPERMAN: ARE WE GETTING MORE PUZZLES!?

i'mfayedingaway: i like all these vocaloid songs but theyre kinda sad…

~MelodyTrust~: Where even are you, Percy? You and Cody just walked off.

OtakuBoy: Cody is solving a puzzle and I'm doing my thing.

~MelodyTrust~: You have a lot of things, Percy.

OtakuBoy: I know. And yes, Faye, vocaloid songs can be depressing.

...

The eighth human came over to Cody. They solved the puzzle in two seconds flat. Everyone outside was standing around Percy. He was talking about the hacking business.

"Do you really think he can do it?" Cody asked the eighth human. They shrugged. "Yeah, me too. He's Percy! He'll find a way."

The kids jumped over some more vents. They reached a clean, tiled floor. Clover was suspicious. Cody grinned. It looked like a kitchen. And he loved kitchens. The next room, however, was completely black. The only light was Percy's phone.

Alphys rung. "H-hey, it's kind of dark in there, isn't it? Don't worry! I'll hack into the light system and-" The lights switched on by themselves. "Oh…?"

"One step ahead of you." Percy said. His phone lost connection. "Oh fiddlesticks."

However, the kids could clearly see they were in a pale brown kitchen. There was a kitchen bench with ingredients, a microwave, an oven, a fridge, cupboards and other things you'd find in a regular kitchen.

"Cooking!" Cody cheered.

"FOOD!" Brayden yelled.

Percy coughed into his arm. "Death."

"Mettaton." Faye said, eyeing the ground.

"Oh no." Alphys added.

Mettaton appeared, wearing a chef's hat. "OHHH YES! WELCOME, BEAUTIES, TO THE UNDERGROUND'S PREMIER COOKING SHOW! Cooking With A Killer Robot."

"Sounds awful." Melody commented, crinkling her nose.

"Cooking with a... killer robot…?" Cody said, laughing nervously.

"PREHEAT YOUR OVENS, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A VERY SPECIAL RECIPE FOR YOU TODAY!" Mettaton continued. "WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING… A SEVEN-LAYER CAKE!"

"Ooh!" Cody cheered, the only one invested. Brayden was as well I guess, but only for the food. And just about the entire population.

"MY LOVELY ASSISTANTS HERE WILL GATHER THE INGREDIENTS." Mettaton said. "EVERYONE GIVE THEM ALL A BIG HAND!"

There was a clapping sound effect. Confetti came down from the ceiling. Melody groaned. Cody personally liked the confetti.

Mettaton said, "WE'LL NEED SUGAR, MILK, AND EGGS. GO FOR IT, SWEATHEARTS!"

Cody spotted said ingredients on the back counter. He headed over there and picked them up. It was sort of a natural thing now. The others let him do his thing. His sister winked at him. The eighth human did as well, but sensually. Cody blushed and placed the ingredients on Mettaton's counter.

"PERFECT!" Mettaton cheered. "GREAT JOB, BEAUTIFUL! WE'VE GOT ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS WE NEED TO BAKE A CAKE!"

"Well, honestly, I'd add a few more ingredients." Cody said, tilting his head. "We'd also need butter if we're going to put it in the oven, icing sugar, flour-"

"YOU'RE RIGHT, DARLING… BUT OH MY! WAIT JUST A MAGNIFICENT MOMENT!" Mettaton waved his hand. "HOW COULD I FORGET! WE'RE MISSING THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT OF ALL!"

"It has to be flour," Cody said, folding his arms. He took cooking very seriously. "It won't be a cake without it."

"NOT EXACTLY," Mettaton replied. He held up a chainsaw. "IT'S SEVEN HUMAN SOULS!"

"Oopsie." Faye mumbled. Cody yelped. His sister pulled him behind her and held up her gun. Brayden made a punching motion with his fists. Melody looked like she was ready to kick Mettaton in the wheel. The eighth human looked bored. Percy held up his book. Suddenly, Mettaton's phone rung. Alphys.

"HELLO…?" Mettaton asked, clearly irritated. "I'M KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING HERE."

"W-wait a second!" Alphys squeaked. "Couldn't you make a… couldn't you use a…"

"A substitution?" Percy suggested.

"Yeah, that!" Alphys chirped.

"... A SUBSTITUTION?" Mettaton asked. "YOU MEAN, USE A DIFFERENT, NON-HUMAN INGREDIENT?" If he had visible emotions, he would've frowned. "...WHY?"

"Uhh… what if someone's…" Alphys paused. "Vegan?"

"... VEGAN." Mettaton said. [A/N: I'm vegetarian... close enough?]

"Oh, I make vegan food all the time!" Cody spoke up. "Some of it is-"

"YES!" Mettaton exclaimed. "THAT'S A BRILLIANT IDEA, ALPHYS! ACTUALLY, I HAPPEN TO HAVE AN OPTION RIGHT HERE! MTT-BRAND ALWAYS-CONVENIENT-HUMAN-SOUL-FLAVOUR-SUBSTITUTE! A CAN OF WHICH… IS JUST OVER ON THAT COUNTER!"

There was indeed a can over on a counter.

"Convenient indeed," Percy mumbled. "I would like to know how to make a can of human-soul-flavoured substitution."

"Um, no, I think you wouldn't, Percy." Melody said, crinkling her nose.

"What would a soul even taste like anyway?" Brayden asked. He looked curious.

"It could be flavoured due to colour," Percy said, tapping his chin. "If I could try some-"

"Alright, enough of this!" Melody said, breaking them up. "We have to go get that can."

"I have a feeling that can's gonna be booby-trapped or somethin'." Clover said, folding her arms.

"Hee hee, booby." Brayden snorted. Melody rolled her eyes.

Clover was right. As soon as the kids approached the can, the desk it was sitting on grew up like a ladder. It went very high into the… sky…

"OH COME ON!" Brayden yelled, shaking his fist.

"That is not fair!" Clover complained.

"Clover is right for once!" Melody agreed. "There's no way we can reach that!"

"BY THE WAY, OUR SHOW RUNS ON A STRICT SCHEDULE," Mettaton added. "IF YOU CAN'T GET THE CAN IN THE NEXT ONE MINUTE… WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN! BETTER START CLIMBING, DARLINGS!" He flew off.

"It's physically impossible for us to reach the top in one minute by climbing," Percy said, looking up from his notes. He sounded dead inside. "We're screwed. Oh no."

Cody bit his lip. He wasn't ready to die yet. Suddenly, the phone rung.

"Oh no!" Alphys squeaked. "There's not enough time to climb up! F-f-fortunately, I might have a plan! All of your phones have a few… features. You guys see that huge button that says 'JETPACK'? Watch this!" Everyone's phone turned into a jetpack. "There! You all should have just enough fuel to reach the top! Now, get up there!"

The kids took off with a blast of smoke. Cody wobbled. This jetpack was slightly hard to pilot. The eighth human was beside them, determination expressed on their expressionless face.

"MELODY OH WHAT THE HECK!" Brayden yelled, crashing into Melody.

"Brayden!" Melody yelled back. "Get off me!" She pushed him away.

"Mettaton is throwing cake ingredients at us," Percy said emotionlessly. "Uh oh."

Eggs were raining down from the sky. Cody covered his head with his frying pan. He caught about twenty eggs. The other kids were flying around, trying to avoid the egg rain. This was followed by flour.

"Ack! It's getting all over me!" Melody yelped. She was covered in the white powder.

"Then move outta the way!" Clover yelled at her.

"I can't, Brayden damaged my jetpack!" Melody complained.

"I DID NOT!" Brayden spat, glaring at her.

"Milk rain." Percy said emotionlessly. Milk was coming down now.

"Can these things please stop getting in my hair!?" Melody shrieked.

"No one cares about your hair, Melody!" Clover told her, folding her arms.

"Melody!" Cody flew over to her. "Do you want my pan? You can cover your head!"

Melody accepted Cody's pan. "Some people care, Clover!" She used it as an umbrella.

Clover sighed. She glanced at her brother. He shrugged in response. He looked around. Percy was fixing something on Brayden's jetpack. Faye and the eighth human were flying side by side. Cody noticed Faye was laughing at a lot of things they were saying. Or not saying.

The eighth human was batting off ingredients while they were talking... however, they seemed very focused on Faye… maybe a little too focused. ;)

"MY MY," Mettaton spoke up. The kids had reached the top successfully! Well, at least the eighth human and Faye had. The others caught up. "IT SEEMS YOU'VE BESTED ME. BUT ONLY BECAUSE YOU HAD THE HELP OF THE BRILLIANT DOCTOR ALPHYS! OH, I LOATHE TO THINK OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU ALL WITHOUT HER!"

The kids glanced at each other.

"What 'bout the substitute thingy?" Clover asked.

"OH YES!" Mettaton exclaimed. "ABOUT THE SUBSTITUTION… HAVEN'T YOU EVER SEEN A COOKING SHOW BEFORE? I ALREADY BAKED THE CAKE AHEAD OF TIME! SO FORGET IT! TOODLES!" Mettaton left.

The kids returned to the ground.

"Well that was pointless." Percy commented.

"You don't say…" Melody groaned.

"At least it was kind of fun!" Cody said, shrugging. He did enjoy it a little bit, if he were honest.

"Wow!" Alphys rung. "We… we did it! We… really did it! Great job out there, team!"

"YEAH!" Brayden punched the air. "GO US!"

"W-well, uh, anyway, let's keep heading forward!" Alphys said. She hung up. The kids continued walking. They came to a view of a strange-looking metal machine. It was sitting in the lava. Cody stared at it for a bit. It was quite ominous. He wondered what it was for. Percy was taking notes.

"That is fascinating," he said, looking excited. "What is it?"

"S-see that building in the distance?" Alphys rung. "That's the CORE. The source of all power for the underground. It converts geothermal energy into magical electricity, by… uhh, anyway, that's where we're going to go. In the CORE is an elevator directly to ASGORE's castle. And from there… you guys can go home." Alphys hung up.

"AWESOME!" Brayden cheered. Cody smiled. He liked the CORE a lot more now.

"Then let's get there." Clover said.

"Wait," Faye spoke up. "That means we're getting closer to the end. To home… and to… Chara." She made a face. Cody patted her shoulder.

"We'll be fine, Faye," he told her. "We'll be able to stop Chara. Right, guys?" He eyed his friends.

"Right, bro," Clover replied. She put her arms around Faye and Cody. "And we'll get home. Trust me, the bad won't win." The eighth human nodded, though they were twitching. They must've been very nervous. But wasn't everyone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, feedback, kudos etc is always appreciated! :)


	23. Percy the Hacker

~Cody~

The kids crammed into a little elevator. Percy immediately moved to the corner. He looked like he was trying not to freak out. Cody stayed in the middle, nearby his sister. The eighth human pressed a button from the selection of levels. The elevator began moving up.

"I watched a documentary about people who got stuck in an elevator," Percy spoke up. He sounded dead inside as always. "The elevator snapped off its chains and plummeted down to the earth. Everyone inside died."

"Cool!" Brayden commented.

"How is that cool?" Melody asked, expressing terror. "It's horrible!"

"She's got a point," Clover agreed. "But we don't really wanna think 'bout that while we're in a lift, right?"

"Did they scream a lot?" Brayden asked Percy.

"Brayden, no!" Melody groaned.

"WHAT?" Papyrus asked. The kids were standing outside Sans' sentry station, dialling Papyrus. Sans was selling hotdogs. "MY BROTHER'S ACTUALLY AT HIS STATION? BUT SOMEHOW, HE'S SELLING HOTDOGS INSTEAD?"

"Unfortunately." Melody responded.

"SLACKING OFF BY DOING WORK…" Papyrus sounded astounded. "TRULY MY BROTHER IS A MASTER."

"You got that right, pardner." Clover said, eyeing Sans.

"I'm getting a hotdog." Cody said, curious about what hot-dogs in the underground tasted like. The eighth human looked like they wanted one as well, so they came with him. Brayden came with them as well, because food. So did Clover. The others were watching Percy attempt to hack every puzzle in the underground. Cody wished him the best of luck.

"hey kids, what's up?" Sans asked. "wanna buy some hot-dogs? they're only 30G each." The eighth human forked out the money for four hot-dogs. Where did they get that from? It seemed they had unlimited amounts of the stuff.

"Thanks," Cody said, accepting a hot dog from the eighth human. The meat seemed to be a … water sausage? Or some kind of meat free substitute, because in this fanfic we're very respectful of what people choose to eat or not to eat. (What are you talking about? I'm not being passive-aggressive at all.)

"thanks, kids," Sans said. "enjoy your 'dogs."

"'Dogs?" Percy asked, looking up. He was interested in language as always.

"yeah. 'dog," Sans replied. "apostrophe-dog. it's short for hot-dog."

Percy held out a hand. "Sans, there is something I need to ask-" His phone buzzed. Someone had posted a picture of a cute anime girl. Percy gasped, forgetting all about the question.

"This way, y'all." Clover said, walking left. She made sure Cody was behind her. Cody's grip tightened on his pan. He didn't want to admit it, but his overprotective sister was beginning to get on his nerves. He almost wished she could be like she was before… the incident. Back then, she wasn't nearly as overprotective. He wasn't such a pushover. And his mom was still…

...

ALPHYS posted a picture. It was a picture of an anime catgirl next to a bowl of instant noodles.

ALPHYS: dinner with the girlfriend. ;)

~MelodyTrust~: What the heck…?

OtakuBoy: Don't judge her Melody, she's an otaku just like me.

CoolSkeleton95 posted a picture. It was a picture of Papyrus wearing sunglasses with giant muscular biceps pasted onto his arms. The biceps were also wearing sunglasses.

Ilovecooking6: Nice picture papyrus…?

ALPHYS: LOL, CoolSkeleton95! … that's a joke, right?

CoolSkeleton95: THE ONLY JOKE HERE, IS HOW STRONG MY MUSCLES ARE!

OtakuBoy: ?

SUPERMAN: I'VE GOT BIG MUSCLES TOO! LIKE, REALLY BIG! RIGHT FAYE?

imfayedingaway: um…..

sevenleafclover: screw this i'm leaving you guys are weird

sevenleafclover left the server!

~MelodyTrust~: Well that's that.

imfayedingaway: um i dont mean to be annoying but i think im dying

...

A Pyrope was approaching Faye, a roaring flame above its head. Faye was on low HP. The eighth human was on the case. They charged towards Faye, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. Brayden yelled something at the Pyrope, full of rage. Cody ran over to Faye, making sure she was okay. He had experience in first aid, so he knew what he was doing. The eighth human, however, shook their head at him. It seemed they had things covered.

Cody stepped back. That kid made him wonder. He thought about something…

"You really don't know anything more about Gaster?" Cody asked the eighth human. They shook their head. "Then… do you at least know who… Frisk is?"

The eighth human stiffened up. They turned to Cody and shrugged, seemingly unsure. Cody was surprised by this. He thought they would know. But they didn't?

Cody assumed Frisk was someone else, then. Someone completely different. He didn't talk about Frisk with anyone else. He kept it to himself. He would ask that strange human in the Void... if he managed to get there.

...

NAPSTABLOOK sent you a friend request.

Of course Cody accepted it, but the request dejected itself.

Ilovecooking6: Aww napstablook… :(

mynameisnotchara: *pats shoulder*

...

The kids approached a conveyor belt with lasers. A laser on the other side was blocking their path. Alphys rung.

"H… hi… !" she said. "Dr. Alphys here. This p-puzzle is kinda… um… timing-based. Y-you guys see those switches over there? Y-you'll have to press all three of them within three… wait what?"

The laser had deactivated and the puzzle had switched off. Percy held up his phone, almost smiling.

"If I can't interact with the human species, I can at least interact with technology and hack a puzzle." he said. "Though I wish I could come up with more memorable quotes."

"You… you hacked it?" Alphys asked, a little taken back. "Uh… uh, w-well... d-done!"

"... thanks." Percy said awkwardly.

"YEAH PERCY!" Brayden cheered. "YOU GO BRO!"

"I am not your brother." Percy replied, tilting his head.

"Nevermind, Perce," Clover gave him a grin. "Ya did good."

"I'm so proud." Melody admired. Cody clapped. The eighth human gave Percy a thumbs up. Even they were impressed. Faye seemed impressed too.

Alphys forced a happy tone. "Um well! You guys! Go on then!" She hung up. Cody wondered if she was okay. She sounded a little...

The kids walked across the puzzle, still congratulating Percy. He seemed so flustered, like he wasn't sure how to respond to all these compliments. But he promised to keep hacking all those puzzles yo.

...

ALPHYS: that's the last time i try to help with a puzzle :/

OtakuBoy: … Did I offend you?

ALPHYS: uhhh no? I don't even know you?

OtakuBoy: ?

ALPHYS: uh gotta go bye!

OtakuBoy: …

...

"Uh, h-hey!" Alphys called. "I'm going to the bathroom, so I'll be MIA for a bit. I'm… I'm sure you guys can handle this puzzle yourselves!" She hung up.

"Reckon you can hack this one too, Perce?" Clover asked. It was a puzzle with vents and arrows. That annoyingly hard one.

"It isn't like other puzzles, so I can't hack this one." Percy said, sounding a little disappointed.

"Never mind, Percy," Cody told him with a grin. "I think the kid's got it sorted out anyway."

The eighth human indeed had it 'sorted out'. They led the others across the puzzle, not even breaking a sweat. Like everyone else, Cody found this very impressive.

The kids approached a table that had a safe with some cheese concealed inside.

...

ALPHYS: OMG? ppl think Mew Mew 2 is better than Mew Mew 1? LOLLLL that's a joke right… omg… DONT THEY GET IT IT RUINS Mew Mew's ENTIRE CHARACTER ARC

OtakuBoy: I beg to differ. Mew Mew 2 is far better than Mew Mew 1. It makes Mew Mew 2's character much MUCH more interesting.

~MelodyTrust~: Percy please no…

ALPHYS: no way! Mew Mew 2 is neither Kissy or Cutie. Its Trash. 0 Stars.

OtakuBoy: The original is just boring contrived nonsense. Mew Mew 2 is WAY better.

ALPHYS: I bET you dont even know the show! 1v1 me you twerp!

OtakuBoy: Dude I will rek you so hard you'll consider joining the Penguin Squad.

SUPERMAN: WAIT AREN'T YOU MEANT TO BE PEEING OR SOMETHING ALPHYS?!

ALPHYS: uh no monsters don't use the bathroom?

SUPERMAN: WAIT WHAT?!

...

"THE ROYAL GUARD PATROLS THIS AREA," Papyrus spoke from the phone.

"There's guards here?" Cody asked, a little worried.

"YES, LIKE SNOWDIN, HOTLAND HAS ROYAL GUARD MEMBERS," Papyrus replied. "WATERFALL DOESN'T NEED THEM BECAUSE IT'S GOT UNDYNE!"

"I do hope we don't run into any royal guards," Melody scoffed. "I've had enough of those guys for a long time."

"Well, even if we do, Undyne would've told them not to hurt us because we're friends, right?" Cody asked hopefully. The eighth human shook their head. "She didn't…?"

"Hey! You kids!" a voice yelled behind the children. Two monsters wearing armour approached the kids. Cody stiffened up. "We've, like, received an anonymous tip about a bunch of humans wearing striped shirts."

"I am wearing a sweater, not a shirt." Percy said. Melody shushed him.

"They told us they were wandering around Hotland right now," RG 01 who was some kind of rabbit I guess said.

"But that's-" The eighth human shushed Melody. She was not giving them away.

"I know, sounds scary, huh?" RG 01 asked. "Well, just stay chill. We'll bring you guys someplace safe, okay?"

The eighth human kept shushing everyone. The kids followed the guards, until 02 turned around and faced his buddy.

"... huh?" 01 asked. "What is it, bro? The shirts they're wearing?" The kids gave each other anxious glances. "… like, what about them?" 01 paused. "Are you thinkin'… what I'm thinkin'?"

"I hope not." Melody mumbled. The eighth human shushed her.

"Bummer," 01 said. "This is, like… mega embarrassing. We, like, actually totally have to kill you kids and stuff."

"BUMMER?" Brayden asked. He clenched his fists. "MORE LIKE BRING IT ON!"

"More like no thanks." Melody grumbled. However, it seemed the eighth human had a plan. They approached RG 02, a stride in their step. They cleaned his armour. Its cooling dirt was beginning to wash away.

Melody joined in, only because she's a clean freak. Soon, RG 02 removed his armour, revealing his abs I guess. It made RG 01 very uncomfortable. In a… romantic way. ;)

"Oh my gosh," Percy fan-girled... or fan-boyed. We're not sexist here kids. "Is that shipping I see?"

"Oh no." Melody face-palmed. Cody was thoughtful. He approached RG 01.

"You should be honest with your feelings," he told RG 01 gently. "It's the only way he'll know."

"I think there are some other people who also need to be honest with their feelings." Clover said, eyeing Brayden and Faye. Brayden put his fist in his palm. Faye looked uncomfortable.

RG 01's attacks were scattered and very easy to avoid. Then he spoke…

"D-dude…" he said. "I can't… I can't take this anymore! Not like this! Like, 02! I like… like, LIKE you, bro! The way you fight… the way you talk… I love doing team attacks with you. I love standing here with you, bouncing and waving our weapons in sync… 02, I, like, want to stay like this forever…"

02 looked so embarrassed.

"OH JUST KISS ALREADY!" Brayden yelled. Melody smacked his arm.

"Uh…" RG 01 started sweating. "I mean, uh… psyche! Gotcha, bro! Haha!"

"... 01." RG 02 said. Percy was on the edge of his metaphorical seat.

"Y-yeah, bro?" 01 asked.

"... do you want to…" 02 paused. "Get some ice cream… after this?"

"Sure, dude!" O1 laughed. "Haha!"

"Awww." Cody smiled. He was happy they were… getting along romantically?

"CAN I COME TOO?" Brayden asked. He made a face. "I'm hungry and I want some ice-cream."

"Brayden no!" Melody sighed.

The kids were walking in a dark room. You can only tell how this will end.

"Okay, I'm back," Alphys rung. Brayden was about to ask something, but the eighth human shushed him. "A-another dark room, huh? Don't worry, my-"

"Done." Percy said, holding out his phone. The lights switched on, revealing Mettaton sitting behind a counter. The kids were on some kind of news program. Random items were surrounding them, such as a dog, a basketball, a trash can…

"Again?" Clover asked, frowning.

"That's my line!" Melody grumbled.

"Are you serious?" Alphys asked. She blushed. "Mettaton, that is. Not you, Melody."

"OHHHH YESSS!" Mettaton exclaimed. He was also wearing a red tuxedo and was holding a bunch of cue cards. "GOOD EVENING, BEAUTIES AND… WHAT'S GOING ON?"

"I refuse to partake in any more of these shows." Percy said, holding up his phone. The whole stage collapsed, revealing that Mettaton was right in front of the kids the whole time. "And, according to my research, I have discovered that every item in this area is actually a bomb. Even that… trash can…"

"Howdy," that weirdo hoodie person/the author/me/who cares popped their head out of the trash can. "This obnoxious onslaught of imbecilic internet paraphernalia does not cease to exist."

"Wait, a bomb?" Clover asked. "Everythin' here is a bomb?"

"HOLY CRAP!" Brayden yelled.

"We need to get out of here!" Melody exclaimed. She looked around. Lasers were blocking their exits. "Percy, can you-"

"NOW NOW HOLD ON," Mettaton flew over to the kids. "WE'RE NOT FINISHED JUST YET! IN FACT, I HAVE QUITE A SURPRISE FOR YOU ALL."

The random items indeed turned into bombs, including the trash can.

"Oh come on," the author asked. "Does everything here want to kill me?"

"I WILL LET YOU GO FREE IF YOUR FRIEND HERE CAN HACK ALL THE BOMBS WITHIN…" Mettaton paused, eyeing Percy. "TEN SECONDS."

"Ten seconds…" Percy looked like he was going to un-spontaneously combust.

"That's not fair!" Clover growled, glaring at Mettaton.

"AND IF YOU DON'T MANAGE TO HACK ALL THE BOMBS IN THAT TIME…" Mettaton sounded sinister. He pointed to a large pink bomb. "THIS BIG BOMB WILL BLOW YOU ALL TO SMITHEREENS!"

"Oh absolutely fantastic." Melody grumbled sarcastically.

"Maybe there's some way we can help Percy?" Cody offered. "Like, we can go and deactivate some of the bombs ourselves!"

"Well, you actually can…" Alphys spoke up. Nearly everyone forgot she was there. "There's a bomb-defusing program on your phones! So, just in case Percy can't hack all the bombs in… ten seconds… you'll still be able to deactivate them!"

"That's actually very smart." Melody commented.

"YEAH!" Brayden yelled. "LET'S GO DEACTIVATE SOME BOMBS!"

Cody grinned. He was glad he was able to help his friend.

"Good luck, Percy." he told Percy.

"Ban kai help me…" Percy mumbled, shaking. He sat down, holding out his phone.

"YOUR TEN SECONDS…" Mettaton cleared his… throat…. who cares. "START… NOW!"

Cody ran off at top speed. He approached the trash can.

"Howdy," that weirdo greeted. "Do you know where my will to live is?"

"Um… no…" Cody replied. "I need to… deactivate... you."

"I was already deactivated," I replied. "I'm dead inside."

"Um… okay…?" Cody said, extremely confused.

"Bye!" who cares said. The trash can grew wings and flew away. It was the stupidest thing Cody had ever seen, but this is just regular for ponystoriesandothers fanfictions.

"3…" Mettaton was counting down. Cody turned around. Brayden had been hit in the head by an extremely agile glass of water that was flying for some reason. Clover was firing at some kind of book.

"2…" Mettaton continued. Percy was on his phone, stressing out. But he looked almost done…

"1." Mettaton concluded. All the bombs suddenly switched off, aside from the big one. Percy collapsed for a second time.

"PERCY YOU DID IT!" Melody exclaimed, grinning at her best friend. She composed herself. "Well done."

"YOU GO BRO!" Brayden gave the tired Perce a noogie.

"Don't touch me…" Percy mumbled.

"(I can't believe he managed to do that.)" Alphys mumbled.

"SO CLOSE, DARLING!" Mettaton told the purple child with fake sympathy. "YOU MANAGED TO HACK MOST OF THE BOMBS!"

"Whatcha talkin' 'bout?" Clover asked. "We hacked all the bombs."

"ALL THE BOMBS... ASIDE FROM THE BIG PINK BOMB!" Mettaton retorted. Percy froze up like an icicle. "WHICH MEANS YOU WILL ALL DIE NOW!"

"Percy, quick! Hack that big bomb!" Melody urged her best friend. Everyone was staring at him.

"I… I can't," Percy replied. "My phone's been blocked! I… I can't access anything anymore."

"AUGH!" Brayden yelled.

"And it's not even FAIR." Clover grumbled. Everyone braced themselves...

...

But nothing happened?

"AH," Mettaton said. "IT SEEMS THE BOMB ISN'T GOING OFF."

"That's b-because!" Alphys' voice appeared. "While you were monologuing… I… I! I… f… I fix… um… I ch-change..."

"You hacked the bomb." Percy said.

"Yeah!" Alphys said brightly. "That's what I did!"

"CURSES!" Mettaton exclaimed dramatically. "IT SEEMS I'VE BEEN FOILED ONCE AGAIN! CURSE YOU, HUMANS! CURSE YOU, DR. ALPHYS, FOR HELPING SO MUCH!"

"(This sounds scripted,)" Melody mumbled. "(I know, I've been in plays before.)"

"BUT I DON'T CURSE MY EIGHT WONDERFUL VIEWERS FOR TUNING IN!" Mettaton continued. "UNTIL NEXT TIME, DARLINGS!" He flew away.

"Well good darn riddance." Clover said, crossing her arms.

"You can say that again," Melody agreed. "Though please don't. It'll annoy everyone."

"W-wow…" Alphys chuckled. "W-we really showed him, huh?"

"Thanks for stepping in there, Alph," Cody said kindly. "You really helped us!"

"Yeah, that was awesome!" Brayden agreed.

"Awww…" Alphys blushed. "Um… I know I was kind of weird at first… but I really think I'm getting more… uh, more…"

"Confident." Percy suggested.

"That's it," Alphys said. "Confident! Confident about guiding you all. S-so don't worry about that big dumb robot… I-I'll protect you all from him! A-and if it really came down to it, we could just t-turn…" She paused. "Um, nevermind. Later!" She hung up.

"But what about my phone?" Percy asked. "I can't hack like this." He made a face. "And also, I need something to fuel my life-controlling internet addiction."

"Here you go." Melody gave Percy her phone, sighing. Percy looked happy with that.

"The CORE again," Clover noticed the CORE. "Getting closer, aren't we, y'all?"

"I'M GONNA WHOOP ASGORE'S BOOTY!" Brayden yelled, punching the air.

"That's where he died." a voice whispered in Cody's ear. He turned around, but no one was there. Though, that voice did sound familiar…

"You really should go to sleep soon Cody," Faye told Cody quietly. "If you really wanna know…"

"Know…?" Cody asked. But then Faye was distracted by the eighth human. Cody sighed. He had too many questions and no answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I procrastinate too much when writing this fanfic. :P I can't get enough of the internet.
> 
> However, I've got some news! If you're a Homestuck fan, well hold onto your horses because I'm planning to release a Homestuck related fanfic soon! No spoilers here. ;)
> 
> That's all from me. Catch you guys l8ter!


	24. Spider Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Frisk: Hey guys! It's me, Frisk, or as you know me, the eighth human! Ponystories isn't here right now, so I'm doing the author's note with a special guest... Chara! Isn't this awesome, Chara? We get to be in an author's note!
> 
> Chara: I would rather be burning in the deepest layer of Hell.
> 
> Frisk: Um... anyway! So, the author just wanted to say that they released a shipping fic of... *blushes* Chara and me called 'Flowers'. ;) For Valentines Day!
> 
> Chara: *blushes intensely* W... what?! I don't... I don't... *angry* How DARE they. I never agreed to this! I will find that damned author and I WILL kill them! *storms off*
> 
> Frisk: *laughs nervously* Well that's going to be an experience ain't it? I had better be off now, so as the author says, l8ter sk8ters! Or is that at the end... um, I mean, happy reading!

~Cody~

"Welcome to our parlour, dearies~" a spider monster greeted the children, standing behind a selection of funny-looking pastries. Cody had never seen those type of pastries before. Percy didn't seem to like the monster too much. He was hiding behind Melody. "Interested in some spider pastries? All proceeds go to real spiders~"

"9999G?!" Clover asked, observing the price for a spider donut. "That's highway robbery!"

"Percy could probably afford that." Melody commented, wrinkling her nose. Percy was still behind her. He didn't look interested at all in purchasing some spider pastries.

"MAN!" Brayden grumbled, eyeing the prices. "BUT I'M STARVING!"

The eighth human perked up. They winked knowingly at Brayden. He gave them a glance of confusion. They made a '-_-' face.

"OH YEAH!" Brayden grinned. "I forgot we have those donuts!"

"What was that, dearie?" Muffet asked with a hint of suspicion. The eighth human covered Brayden's mouth, waving innocently at the spider monster. They speed-walked away, dragging Brayden with them. He looked dumbfounded.

"This room is like the room we saw before," Alphys explained the next vent-filled room. "There are two puzzles to the north and south. You'll have to solve them both to proceed."

"You can try hacking again, Perce." Clover told Percy, winking at him. Cody smiled enthusiastically at Percy, hoping to boost his confidence. The purple boy looked uncomfortable.

"Also… I'd like to say!" Alphys added. "I don't really… like giving away puzzle solutions. But if you guys need help, just call me, okay?" She paused. "Actually, wait, I have an idea! Let's be friends on Undernet! Then you can just ping me when you need help."

"But… we're already friends…" Faye said, making a face.

"Oh… wait, were all those random people posting… you guys?" Alphys asked. She sounded so embarrassed. "Oh wow… I completely forgot your usernames! I didn't realise they were…" She laughed nervously. "Well…! The original Mew Mew is still better than Mew Mew 2!" She hung up.

"Lies." Percy grumbled. He held out Melody's phone. He almost visibly frowned. "It seems I have been blocked on here too… I can't hack anymore." With no emotion, he quickly blurted, "Sorry guys."

"Never mind, Percy," Cody told him. "We can still solve the puzzles! Right?"

The eighth human nodded. They leaped across the vents, heading off to solve the puzzles. The kids were about to follow them when suddenly...

...

ponystoriesandothers (that's me): GUESS WHO'S BACK!

Everyone: NOPE!

ponystoriesandothers was permanently blocked from the server!

...

"Blocked from a server in your own fanfiction," Faye smirked. "Now that's funny." [A/N: Jee thanks...]

The kids split up to solve the two puzzles. Cody went with the eighth human, his sister and Percy. Alphys called. She and Percy had yet another nerdy conversation about Mew Mew Kissy Cutie. The eighth human went into the small room to solve the puzzle. They seemed insistent about doing it solo. Cody and Clover waited outside, nearby Percy.

"Gosh darn," Clover wiped her brow. She eyed Cody. "Alrighty, now we can finally talk." She frowned. "I was thinkin' about that Gaster stuff again…"

Cody pouted. "Clover-"

"I know you wanna do a good thing bro, but it's just too dangerous," Clover replied sternly. She frowned, adjusting her hat. "This is why I can't leave you alone. You get in trouble."

Cody had a very bad urge to retort. He could look after himself! He knew he could. But he could barely bring himself to glare at his sister. He looked away, his arms hanging down.

"It's only to protect you Cody, yeah?" Clover told him.

"I understand, Clover." Cody replied, not facing his sister. The eighth human walked out of the puzzle room. Percy was still talking to Alphys about Mew Mew Kissy Cutie. The eighth human glanced at the siblings. They looked a little concerned. But they replaced the concern with a smile and kept walking.

Cody sighed. He and the others followed them.

"Melody I don't like this place." Percy said, eyeing a large, purple building covered in spider webs.

"It's the only place we can go, Percy." Melody sighed. The eighth human opened their phone and accessed their dimensional box. They pulled out five spider donuts. Notes about various manga were attached to the icing. Percy looked embarrassed.

"Do we get to eat those now?" Brayden asked eagerly, eyeing the donuts. Knowing him, he'd probably eat the notes too. The eighth human nodded. They signaled the others to follow them into the building.

"Stay near me, bro." Clover told Cody. He bit his lip and followed her into the building, eyeing the huge amount of spider webs on the walls and ceiling. Percy was shivering.

"Ahuhuhuhu..." a voice above them laughed. Everyone jumped (yes even Brayden). But not the eighth human. "Did you hear what they just said?"

"They said seven humans wearing striped shirts would come through." a creepy voice replied.

"Melody." Percy looked like he was about to have a panic attack.

"Calm down, Percy," Melody replied, sighing. Yet she was shivering too. "It's just some… spiders…"

"No no no…" Percy started sweating.

Clover glared at the spiders hanging down from the ceiling. "Could y'all cut that out? You're scaring my friend."

"Wait, spiders can talk?" Brayden asked, confused.

The spiders, unfortunately, didn't cut it out.

"I heard that they hate spiders," a voice whispered eerily.

"Oh no…" Faye said quietly. Her shoes were stuck in some cobwebs. They were slowing her down.

"I CAN'T RUN!" Brayden grumbled, trying to get his foot out of the webs. Percy was frantically taking notes, staying nearby Melody. Cody did not like this. Only the eighth human remained completely calm. Scratch that, they looked bored.

"I heard that they love to stomp on them," the voices whispered. "I heard that they like to tear their legs off."

"I would never do that!" Cody protested, even though he wasn't the biggest spider fan.

"Just ignore 'em, bro." Clover said, taking his hand like he was a toddler and leading him away.

Cody frowned. He was slowly losing his tolerance. He kept getting pushed over by others and he wasn't sure if he liked it.

"HEY!" Brayden yelled. The kids had reached the center of the web. "I CAN'T MOVE!"

"Oh no no no no no…" Percy mumbled nervously. He was covered in webs.

"I heard," Muffet cackled, appearing in front of the children. "That they're awfully stingy with their money."

"Wait, what?" Melody looked dumbfounded. "Excuse me, have you seen the stick-"

The eighth human shushed her.

"Dude!" Melody exclaimed. "I was just about to compliment-"

The eighth human shushed her again, more forcefully.

Melody sighed.

"You think your tastes are too refined for our pastries, don't you, dearies?" Muffet asked, chuckling. "Ahuhuhu… I disagree with that notion. I think your tastes… are just what this next batch needs!"

The eighth human tugged Cody's arm. They pulled out the five donuts, then cocked their head at his pocket. Cody felt his heart sink.

"I… uh… might've given my donut to Brayden back in Snowdin…" he said, laughing anxiously. The eighth human frowned. They signaled with their hands, wanting a group huddle.

"Can ya give us a sec?" Clover asked Muffet, eyeing the eighth human.

"Well, I suppose it would be impolite of me not to let you have your last words~" Muffet chuckled. She backed away, leaving the kids alone.

"So what's up?" Brayden asked the eighth kid. "Can I have a donut now?"

The eighth human drew a bunch of pictures on the webs? Don't ask me. From those drawings, the kids could infer the eighth human bought six spider donuts back in the RUINS (as that's all they could fit in their inventory), though they had to give one to Cody as their inventory kept getting fuller. The donuts would allow the kids to bypass Muffet. The eighth human was apparently planning to fight Muffet solo, since they didn't have a donut for themself. However, now they only had five donuts, which meant two kids would have to stay behind.

Cody immediately volunteered. He was the reason they had one less donut, after all.

"No." Clover stared at him. "I'm not gonna let ya get hurt anymore, bro. Brayden can stay behind. He's the one who ate your donut."

"HEY!" Brayden grumbled. He put his arm around the eighth human. "That's true."

Cody looked away, feeling more and more agitated. He started trembling. He couldn't take this anymore. He was letting himself be pushed over by his sister - and everyone else - far too much. He had been like this for far too long, and he hated it. It wasn't kindness. Others were benefiting from his pain. He was suffering.

Suddenly he didn't care if he hurt anyone's feelings. This was his prime time.

Cody glared at his sister. He walked over to the eighth human. "No. I'm the one who gave Brayden my donut. This is my fault. I'M staying."

Clover frowned. "Bro-"

"Just… SHUT UP!" Cody yelled, glaring at her. "JUST SHUT UP, CLOVER! I CAN LOOK AFTER MYSELF! YOU'RE NOT MOM, SO STOP FREAKING ACTING LIKE HER!"

Clover looked a little taken back. But she wouldn't back down. "Cody-"

"NO!" Cody physically pushed her away. "I'M NOT YOUR STUPID WIMPY BROTHER ANYMORE! I'M NOT SUCKING UP TO YOU!" He wiped his green eyes, which were full of tears. He looked up and yelled, "Hey, Muffet! My friends bought five of your donuts back in the RUINS! But my other friend and I didn't because we think they're terrible!"

"Cody-" Clover began, but Cody turned away, not looking at her. Muffet clambered down, eyeing the five donuts.

"Is this true?" she asked, suspicious.

"They bought them with their own money," Cody replied, gesturing at his friends. He stood next to the eighth human. "But we didn't. We HATE spiders. Those guys love them."

"Uhh-" Percy was about to protest, but Cody shushed him.

"Well... if that's the case..." Muffet chuckled. She eyed the other humans. "I see that anon who told me about you all only meant these two! The rest of you are free to go~"

"Get out." Cody said quietly but sternly, glaring at the others.

Clover held her head down. She stormed off, not looking up. Melody was patting her shoulder. Brayden was giving Cody a strange look. Percy was still shivering. Faye walked off, looking back briefly.

The eighth human glanced at Cody. He started crying harder. They rubbed his shoulder, giving him a hug.

"What did I do…?" he asked, crying. "Why am I like this? What did I do?! WHAT THE HELL DID I DO!?"

"I'll tell you what you did, dearie~" Muffet cackled, appearing in front of him. "You became a threat to spiders everywhere. This is why eradicating you is very imperative~"

Cody gulped. But then he had an idea. He glared straight into Muffet's eight eyes. "No, I'LL tell you what I'll do. I think your pastries are terrible. I bet I can make much better ones."

"Oh, really?" Muffet asked, tilting her head.

"YES really," Cody replied, slightly shivering. "I challenge you to a cook-off. Whoever can make the best dessert in half an hour wins. If I win, you let my friend and me go. If you win…" He paused. "You can have us for your new recipe."

The eighth human was shaking their head at Cody. But he didn't back down. He didn't do that anymore.

Muffet smirked. "It's a deal, dearies~"

The eighth human and Cody were standing behind a counter full of cooking utensils and a selection of ingredients in front of them. Muffet was on the other side, surrounded by spiders. Because she had more arms, the eighth human was allowed to help Cody. They looked a little nervous, yet they were still determined. Cody was determined too. Cooking was his profession and he was going to win. He had to win.

For once, he had to prove himself.

"Are you ready, dearies?" Muffet asked. She looked smug. Cody glared at her.

"I was born ready." he replied. The eighth human nodded in agreement.

"Then let's begin~" Muffet chortled. The timer started. Cody eyed the eighth human.

[A/N: Play the most hardcore Spider Dance remix you can find. If you're too lazy to, just acapella it. XD]

"Can you crack those eggs for me?" he asked. They nodded. While they did that, Cody measured and put some flour in a bowl. He glared at Muffet while measuring some milk. She glared back at him. She was ahead of him, mixing a bowl full of batter. Cody winced.

The eighth human put the eggs in their bowl. Cody added the sugar, then pulled out a whisk and started stirring the batter. He and Muffet kept sharing competitive glances. The eighth human gave Cody some melted butter. He gave them a grin. They preheated the oven while Cody added the butter to the batter. Muffet was pouring a cup of spiders into her batter. Cody shot her another competitive glance.

The eighth human pulled out a bunch of muffin trays. Cody added some chocolate chips to his batter, stirred it, then placed the batter into muffin-shaped holes in the tray. The eighth human gave him some assistance. Once that was done, the duo put the tray into the oven. Cody wiped his brow out of relief. The eighth human gave him a thumbs up.

Muffet had put her desserts in the oven too. Now it was time to wait. Cody and Muffet kept glaring at each other. The eighth human was holding Cody back, making sure he didn't do anything stupid. This gave Cody time to think. He wondered if he had been too harsh on his friends.

No, he thought. I wasn't being too harsh. I was being too nice and now…

He remembered the look on his sister's face. On everyone's face. Even the eighth human looked a little surprised. Had he made a mistake? He'd promised to himself that he'd always be kind. Then people took advantage of his kindness… but was it really right for him to snap back?

Cody sighed, his arms trembling. He felt like crying again. What was he going to do now? He wanted to go home. He hated this place.

The eighth human waved their hand in front of Cody's face. They were frantically pointing at the oven.

"Twenty seconds left, dearies~" Muffet chortled, smugly leaning on her counter. Surrounding her were piles of pastries. Cody felt his heart jump. He'd completely lost track of time! He quickly opened the oven. The eighth human let him borrow their red gloves. He took out the tray, his breathing picking up.

"Ten seconds~" Muffet said. She yawned with boredom. Cody gritted his teeth. He began taking the muffins out of the tray, putting them on the counter. The eighth human helped him.

"5," Muffet counted down. The spiders were clapping along to the music. The kids had nearly got all the muffins out of the tray. "4… 3…"

"Careful!" Cody told the eighth human, since they'd almost dropped a muffin.

"2…" Muffin said. Cody wanted to scream. They were so close. "1…"

Cody collapsed, his brow covered in sweat. Sitting on the counter were his chocolate chip muffins. The eighth human gave him a nervous smile. They held out their hand, helping him stand up. Cody smiled at them. He had never been more grateful for assistance.

"Well well well," Muffet smirked at the children. She had made many more desserts than the kids had. Cody shivered. "It seems we already have a winner~"

"We haven't tasted anything yet!" Cody retorted, biting his lip.

"We don't have to," Muffet chuckled condescendingly. "Those muffins are undercooked~"

"No they're…" Cody began. His face creased with horror. He poked one of his muffins. Wet batter was on his finger. His pupils shrunk. He was such an idiot… he'd made a huge mistake. He hadn't made enough time for the muffins to cook.

Muffet licked her lips, approaching the children. "Don't be upset, dearies. You'll both make fine cakes~"

The eighth human tugged Cody's arm. They jerked their head at the exit. Cody understood what they were saying.

"Sorry," Cody told Muffet. "But you won't be making any cake today."

And with that, he and the eighth human ran for their lives.

The two ran through a purple room, and some kind of stage. It seemed there had been a show of some kind there. There were strange noises behind the kids. They sounded like… spiders.

"Uh!" Cody gave the eighth human a fearful glance. They were approaching a pathway. Surrounding it was the Nice Cream Guy and the gay guards. The eighth human pointed at the pathway going north. But Cody didn't care about that. He'd spotted something ahead that was worrying him. It was a Vulkin, hanging off an edge. It was dangling above the lava. It was nearby the elevator.

Cody raced towards the Vulkin, which was obviously in distress. How come none of the other monsters could hear it? Cody didn't care about that now. He had to save the Vulkin.

The eighth human was jumping around, trying to deter him from going to the Vulkin but he ignored them. They turned around, eyeing the army of spiders approaching. Meanwhile, Cody raced over to the Vulkin. Its kawaii face had become one of distress. Cody felt a chill crawl up his spine. He held out his hand.

"Don't worry," he told the Vulkin. "I've got you!" He felt a spider crawl up his shoulder. He glanced behind him and saw the eighth human was fighting off a tidal wave of spiders. They were holding a shiny red sword. They were also wearing a jacket similar to Sans' and a scarf similar to Papyrus'. A red spear was coming out of one of their eyes. Though it was hard to see their eyes, since one was covered in shadows and the other was covered in hair. [A/N: Firstale Frisk. :P]

Cody gulped. Where had the eighth human got all that stuff from? He was about to say something, but then he remembered Vulkin. He leaned down, his grip tightening on the monster. He pulled it up, his breathing heavy. His pan was lying beside him.

"Are you okay?" Cody asked the monster. It nodded, snuggling against Cody's arm. He would've squealed like a fangirl(boy) if he were in a different situation. He stood up, eyeing the eighth human. Suddenly he felt guilty again. He was putting this poor child through so much. He realised all along he had been taking advantage of their kindness. Everyone had been taking advantage of their kindness.

Cody looked down. He knew what had to do. Making sure the Vulkin was standing back, he held out his frying pan and took a step forward.

"Get away from my friend!" he yelled, charging at the spiders. The eighth human was shaking their head at him, but he ignored them again. It was time to repay them for everything they had done.

"You will not escape me forever~" Muffet hissed, appearing in between all the spiders.

"Go away!" Cody yelled. "We never did anything to you!"

"That is quite a lie," Muffet replied. "You insulted spiders, baked terrible muffins and dishonored your word. At my bakery, we don't tolerate this behaviour~"

"The whole world isn't your bakery," Cody replied, baring his teeth. "I'm sorry, but there are more important things we had to do. Now get out of here before I have to hurt you."

"I'm afraid not, deary~" Muffet giggled. Cody turned around, eyeing the eighth human. They nodded at him. He gave them a smile.

He and his friend charged forward, holding out their weapons. They forced their way past the many spiders. Scratches were raked across Cody's arms. They stung with pain. But Cody didn't stop yet.

"I'm sorry!" Cody yelled. He raised his fry-pan, holding it nearby Muffet's head. She looked afraid. Cody looked determined. "But you can't always be kind!"

Suddenly, Cody realised what he was doing. He was about to...

Tears filled his eyes. He dropped his frying pan, blurting out a sob. What was he doing? His breathing became heavy and his cheeks were covered in tears. He dropped to his knees, sobbing.

This wasn't kindness at all.

"I'm... I'm so sorry..." Cody sobbed, his hands wet. "I don't know what's getting into me."

The eighth human gently squeezed his shoulder. They had a kind smile on their face.

"Thanks," Cody replied, smiling back. "You're a great friend."

Suddenly, Cody felt so drowsy. His shoulder screamed in pain. He realised a spider had bit him. The Vulkin nudged his side, watching his eyes droop. Cody smiled at it.

"Tell Clover I'm sorry..." he told the eighth human. Then everything went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Heyo I'm back! I HavEN't KiLLED mySElf yeT!
> 
> Cody is changing... no he's not becoming Spiderman, ban kai Percy is enough. Anyway-
> 
> Chara: *suddenly appears, holding a knife* I will turn your insides into SPAGHETTI, you fool.
> 
> Dude, I'm trying to talk to my readers. Come back later. *ignores Chara's protests* As I was TRYING to say, I'm going to release that Homestuck fanfic tomorrow, so if you're into that, check it out! Also, my friend Soul-Of-Bravery drew a Cody x Clarence (her OC) thing on DeviantART, so go check it out! It has teen Cody. XD I was feeling a bit crap before but then somehow I got motivation to update this dumb fanfic... so uh, hey, feel free to leave some support. It really helps out. :)
> 
> Chara: Alright, enough talking, nobody actually cares. You die NOW.
> 
> See you l8ter sk8ters! *jumps into trash can, escaping Chara*


	25. Cody's Kindness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: CHAPTER 5 HAS BEEN UPDATED. Please go check it out. XD
> 
> LONG AND ANNOYING BUT WORTH READING-
> 
> Frisk: Hey guys! I'm doing the author's note again because IHF is... too depressed and miserable to get out of bed. But they're okay, don't worry about them. Just... don't tell Chara they're there. Anyway! Back to the note! *pulls piece of paper out of their pocket* Hmm, let's see. This chap's a shorty. It's also a backstory chapter, if ya couldn't tell by the title. It's tragic, yeah, but IHF says it's for a good reason. If it wasn't tragic... well, the kids wouldn't like each other so much. Deeper meaning and stuff, y'know? IHF doesn't like this chap too much. I guess they didn't want to say it themself, so they got me to do it...
> 
> Brayden: WHAT A COWARD!
> 
> Frisk: *suddenly smirks and kicks him*
> 
> Brayden: *screams like a girl, falling over* HEY WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!
> 
> Frisk: *holds up 'kick me' sign that was on him*
> 
> Brayden: *raises brow* WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?!
> 
> Oh that's from... hEY wait a second! *gets out of bed* BRAYDEN! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN THIS CHAPTER! *kicks Brayden out of the chapter*
> 
> Chara: *appears out of nowhere, then glares at me* THERE YOU ARE, YOU PIECE OF TRASH!
> 
> OH CRIPES- Happy reading y'all! *jumps into another trash can, escaping*

Cody could see nothing. His heart was racing. A chill went up his spine.

What was this place? Where was he?

All he could see was darkness. He took a tentative step forward, a dull ache in his stomach.

"But Frisk…" a voice whispered from somewhere. "You're the future of the whole world!"

"Hello…?" Cody asked, looking around. "Is someone there?"

"Then the world doesn't have a future." a voice laughed spitefully. Then everything went white.

Cody was watching his mom cook dinner one evening. He observed her cutting up vegetables and checking on a meat-free substitute cooking in the oven. [A/N: SUCK IT CARNIVORES.] It almost looked like... fun. Cody didn't have any hobbies other than skateboarding, and he wasn't really that good at it. He wondered for a second...

"Hey, Mom, can I..." Cody paused. "... help make dinner?"

"Of course!" his mom grinned at him. "You can definitely help me."

And so, that's where Cody's strong passion for cooking began. Although, he kept it secret for a long time.

Until the incident happened.

"You really don't have to worry about what others think," his mother told him. "You're special just being you."

"But everyone judges me." Cody grumbled, ignoring taunting voices in his head.

You're such a girl.

You're so weird.

The social norm was a cruel thing.

Cody held up his skateboard. "I guess... I guess I'll just be what people want me to be. Just a normal kid."

His mother simply smiled. "One day, Cody, I promise... you won't mind anymore."

"Yeah, right," Cody frowned. "That'll be the day people will walk all over me."

"Who said they aren't already..." his mother mumbled.

Cody woke up in his bedroom. The sun was shining into his bedroom. He got up and observed himself in the mirror. Today was a special day. It was his birthday!

Cody put on a short-sleeved shirt and shorts. He grinned and headed downstairs. The kitchen smelled great! His mom must've made a birthday cake of some sort. Cody could hear Clover playing some video game in the living room. Cody rolled his eyes. His sister was such a nerd. [A/N: oh yeah fam did i mention clover likes video games]

"Happy Birthday, Cody!" Cody's dad approached his son, ruffling his hair. Cody cheered.

"Did you get me some presents, Dad?" he asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" his dad replied, smirking. "A few of your friends are comin' over by the way. It'll be a pretty big party."

"Well duh!" Cody replied. He went into the living room and eyed his sister playing video games. She was still wearing her pajamas. What a nerd. Says the author who just roleplayed with themself for the whole author's note.

Cody frowned at the screen. "Turn that off, Clover. It's annoying."

"No way," Clover replied casually, not even looking at him. "I'm playing as many games as I want."

"It's my birthday!" Cody responded.

"I don't care." Clover retorted.

"Dad!" Cody yelled, looking over his shoulder. "Clover won't stop playing stupid video games and it's annoying!"

"I told Clover she's allowed to play video games this morning," Cody's dad responded. "Sorry bud, you'll have to deal with it."

"But it's my birthday!" Cody whined. He pouted and left the room. His mom walked out of the kitchen. She gave him a friendly smile.

"Cody!" she greeted. "Happy Birthday!"

"Clover sucks." Cody replied, frowning.

"Why would you say that?" Cody's mom replied, raising her brow. She squeezed Cody's shoulder. "Doesn't matter. You can come help me in the kitchen!"

"I don't like cooking." Cody whined. This was actually a lie, but Cody felt self-conscious about his hobby. He wanted to dislike cooking, but... no.

He just didn't want to be judged anymore. But...

"Really?" his mother sounded skeptical. "Well… maybe you'll change your mind when you see what I got you for your birthday."

"What did you get me?" Cody asked, now excited.

"You'll see," his mom laughed. "Your friends will be here soon. You'd better get ready!"

Soon, Cody's friends arrived. They were a group of kids Cody had met at school, who he was somewhat acquainted with. Not as acquainted with as his current friends if I do say so myself.

Anyway, they had a pretty good time. Cody got a bunch of presents, including a skateboard, since he was into skateboarding at the time. His sister somewhat participated in the birthday celebrations, but mainly because her mom made good food. She didn't really care that much.

Cody enjoyed himself overall. He loved having a birthday. Presents were great. And he was a little older now. Unless you're over 30, being older is great.

Though… his mom hadn't given him his present yet. He was rather curious about what it was. He hoped it was a skateboard or something like that. He nagged his mom about it, and finally, she took him into her bedroom to show him the gift.

"Here you go." Cody's mom handed her son the gift. Cody grinned. He tore off the wrapping paper, revealing… an apron?

"An apron?" Cody asked, sounding disappointed.

"Of course!" His mother smiled.

"Mom, I don't like cooking." Cody whined.

"I don't think that's true." his mom retorted. She smiled. "Cody… you can be into whatever you want. It doesn't matter. Skateboarding, cooking, video games… you do you, son."

"Hmph." Cody pouted, observing the gift. The apron was... kind of cute. It had a pink heart on it.

"You'll look great in it." his mother grinned. Cody made a face. His mother sighed. "Just try it… even for a little while. I know deep down you're a very sweet boy and you do care." She knelt down and gave him a hug. "So be kind for me this one time and put in your very best effort?"

"Fine." Cody grumbled.

"But… really, you should always be kind," his mother told him. "Not just for me."

"I guess." Cody said, not really interested.

Cody didn't realise how much all this would matter until the incident.

It started one afternoon when Cody was observing his skateboard, wearing a long-sleeved shirt. It had been a little while after his birthday. He didn't like short-sleeved shirts anymore. He had tried cooking and hot oil landed on his arm while he was wearing a t-shirt. So he didn't trust those shirts anymore. And his sister was now for some reason obsessed with cowboys. She kept putting on some stupid cowboy accent as well, which was just plain annoying.

Cody's dad suddenly barged into his son's room, interrupting Cody's thoughts. His face was full of terror, grief… horror.

Cody had never seen his father like this before.

"Dad?" Cody asked, feeling some concern. "Are you okay?"

His dad fell to his knees, taking in deep sobs. Cody raised his brow.

"Dad…?" he asked, stooping to his father's level and rubbing his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Cody…" his dad paused, eyeing his son. Cody took a step back. "Your mom… she…"

"What?" Cody asked, getting a bad feeling. His skin prickled.

"Well…" his dad held back another sob. "You know how she went on that business trip? Well, the p-police called and said…" He paused. "And said that while she was there, she…"

"She what…?" Cody asked.

"She was shot," his dad answered. "She's dead, Cody."

And everything came to a halt.

Cody sat next to his sister on her bed, hugging himself while taking in deep sobs. Clover was holding his arm protectively, glaring at their father, who was standing nearby the door.

Clover gritted her teeth. She had become a lot more protective. She wasn't a chill nerd anymore.

Cody knew it was only because she couldn't bare to loose him, her only real family. Their father... wasn't the same as he was before. Cody knew Clover didn't consider him family anymore.

He was too far gone.

"Stay over there," Clover grumbled, turning away from her dad. "You're not gonna help us."

"Clover..." Cody began, attempting to be understanding. He remembered his mom's words. Be kind. He never honoured them when she was alive.

So he'd have to do it when she was dead instead.

"We're all stuck here..." their father laughed, sounding not unlike a maniac. "Don't you just wish it could all end?" [A/N: y e s]

"Get over it," Clover growled at him. "What the Hell is wrong with you?"

"Clover, please..." Cody whimpered, taking his sister's arm. She was shivering. "We shouldn't get mad over this."

"Yes, we should, Cody," Clover spat. "He's not Dad anymore. He's just crazy."

Cody whimpered. For the millionth time, he wished his mom wasn't dead.

Cody searched through his cupboard, his arms weak. He still couldn't comprehend it. It didn't feel real. None of this felt real.

Cody found the apron he got for his birthday, right at the back. He slipped it on, over his favourite long sleeve and pants. He looked at himself in the mirror.

So be kind for me this one time and put in your very best effort?

His mother's voice made his eyes go watery. He smiled at his reflection, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"I'll always be kind, Mom," he said. "I promise."

It was late at night. Cody could hear a lot of commotion downstairs. He couldn't sleep. He opened his door. His dad and Clover were yelling at each other.

"THERE'S NOTHING LEFT FOR YOU HERE YOU STUPID GIRL!"

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE NEVER AROUND!"

"YOU TWO ARE JUST SO MUCH STRESS!"

"YOU'RE THE WORST DAD EVER!"

"Please… no…" Cody tried to yell, but he could barely bring his voice to a normal tone. Why was everything falling apart? Why did his mom have to die? Why was this happening?

What did he do?

Cody turned away, closing the door. He sunk to his knees, feeling physically sick. He hated this so much. So much. He began sobbing into his palms, wishing the world could end.

He wondered if his father was so mad after all.

Suddenly Clover burst into his room, a furious look on her face.

"Get up," she told Cody seriously. "We're leaving."

"What?" Cody asked, eyeing her.

"We're leaving, running away," Clover repeated with a scowl. "I'm not living with that psycho."

"Dad's not crazy, Clover…" Cody tried to protest. His sister's glare hardened at 'Dad'. "He's just…"

"He's just what?" Clover spat, clenching her fist around her gun.

"But… where will we go?" Cody asked, his heart thumping.

"We're gonna find that criminal who shot Mom," Clover answered. "And we'll take them down."

"But Clover, they're so far away!" Cody protested, standing up.

"I don't care," Clover growled. "We'll find them."

"Clover…" Cody pouted.

"Get your stuff bro," Clover said firmly. "We're leaving now."

"Now…?" Cody asked.

"Yes," Clover responded bitterly.

Cody frowned. He knew everything wasn't great right now and his sister was cranky, but… he couldn't bring himself to want to abandon his father. It wasn't kind or the right thing to do. What if something went wrong along the way? The thought of that made Cody shiver.

He didn't want anyone else to get hurt.

"Clover… I know you're upset, but…" Cody smiled. "Hey… it's okay. Things will get better."

"Things will get better if we hunt down that criminal." Clover growled.

"No!" Cody protested. He stood up. "No! Hurting people won't change anything. We'll still be in square one!"

"Square one." Clover eyed her brother dryly.

"Clover, just…" Cody's eyes were full of tears. "I'm angry too… but this isn't right. Revenge won't bring you peace! It'll just bring you down to the killer's level!"

Clover gritted her teeth. "Do you want the person who killed Mom wanderin' around free?"

"We're just kids," Cody pleaded. "We'll let the police deal with this. They'll put the criminal in jail. And besides…" He looked down. "Dad really needs our help."

Clover looked away, her hat covering her face. She was trembling.

"Hey…" Cody said softly, smiling. "It's okay, Clover."

"No it's not." Clover mumbled, her voice shaky. Cody wrapped his arms around her, giving her a tight hug. She stiffened in surprise, but gradually hugged him back. She cried into his shoulder.

"We're going to be okay." Cody told her gently, "As long as we stick together, we'll be okay."

Cody was back here again. Lost. Alone. Afraid. He didn't know where he was going. This place was so dark. He wished he hadn't yelled at his sister. They were supposed to support each other and…

Cody sniffled. He just wanted to go home.

"You seem sad," a voice told Cody. It sounded… familiar.

"I just want to tell everyone I'm sorry." Cody sniffled, wiping his nose.

"I know that pain," the voice replied. "I know it very well indeed. Unlike you, however, I don't get that chance. Once you return to the real world, you will see your friends and family again. You will be able to apologise. If I only were so lucky."

"Really?" Cody asked, grinning. He tilted his head. "W… wait, who are you? Where am I?"

"Who I am is not a concern of yours," the voice replied. A figure stepped into the light. Cody gasped.

"You're that kid from…" He realised where he was.

"Yes," Chara smiled at him. "Welcome back to the Void, Cody Luckgreen."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These darn backstory chapters... they will be the death of me. X_X And I have to do more ughhAFNsfif
> 
> Welp, looks like next chapter's gonna be another Cody-centered chapter. You guys will be sick of him by the end of all this. XD But don't worry, we'll get back to the other humans soon. We're not abandoning them forever.
> 
> Now, the following question may be a little... odd, but... if I were to discontinue this or put this on hiatus, would... you all be upset? I'm dying here. For some reason it felt right to ask this.
> 
> Catch ya later.


	26. L'Appel Du Vide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> L'Appel Du Vide: the call of the void.
> 
> So... I had a week to think about the hiatus thing. I honestly did want to go on hiatus, mainly because atm I'm trying to deal with depression, and I wanted to get back into writing when I wasn't so down. At the same time, however, writing kind of helps me deal with depression...? And also, there's a lot of people who (I hope) like reading this and would be disappointed if I were to stop it. So thank you guys for reading this annoying garbage. It really does mean a lot.
> 
> I won't vent here anymore unless I have to. Thanks for understanding.
> 
> Surprise surprise, I don't like this chapter, but tbh I say that about every chapter in this fanfic. Probably because I edit them a million times. :P
> 
> Also, if you saw my former profile picture (or watch me on DeviantART) then you would've seen it was a bit of a spoiler for this chap. ;)

Cody followed Chara through the Void, hugging himself. His legs were trembling. But he felt determined at the same time. He was here to save Gaster. And he knew he could do it.

"I do not think you will like what you will see." Chara informed him. Their head was bowed. They were still grey. "Your time is nearing its end. He is almost gone. You don't have much chance to save him."

"I think I'll be able to do it." Cody asserted himself, holding out his frying pan. It was with him this time. He was thankful for that. His pan made him feel more secure.

"You are very determined, aren't you?" Chara laughed. "Before I thought you were nothing but a weakling. But it seems you have proved yourself. You're stronger than I thought."

"I don't want to be a pushover anymore," Cody replied, looking at the cracked ground. "It just hurts me… and others too."

"I like your thinking," Chara smiled. They paused, their head even lower than before. "If only he was like that."

"'He'?" Cody asked, raising his brow.

"Never mind," Chara said quickly, straightening their back. "We're almost there."

Cody pouted. He walked beside Chara, making them uncomfortable. He gave them a friendly smile. They didn't show him their face. But they gave him a small nod.

Chara suddenly tensed up. Cody noticed this and was confused. Then he realised why.

Gaster was there. However, his face was covered in cracks and his lower body was black goop. The black goop was coming out of his cracked skull as well. Hands were floating above him. Darkness was radiating out of him. Cody couldn't help it, he stepped back in fright.

"It's not too late to go back," Chara whispered. They were even further back than Cody, still hugging themself. "You can go back to your friends."

Cody faced Gaster, who was slowly but surely melting away. Chara waited patiently behind Cody, their head bowed. Cody made a face.

"I promised I'd try," he said, eyeing Gaster. "And I don't want to break anymore promises."

Cody took a step, approaching the monster. Gaster made a series of terrifying noises. Cody took a deep breath, chills crawling up his spine.

He couldn't back down now.

"Hey," he said calmly, smiling at Gaster. "I'm here to help you."

Gaster didn't reply. A light gleamed in a hole in his skull.

Cody grinned. "Yeah! I'm gonna get you out of here." He held out a hand, reaching out for one of Gaster's.

"I do not think that is a good idea." Chara mumbled, taking another step back.

More goop came out of Gaster's body. One of his hands reached for Cody's. Cody took another step forward, grabbing the outstretched hand. But as soon as he did, goop covered his shoes. It crawled around Cody's legs. He could barely move.

"Hey…" Cody looked at Gaster. "Could you, uh… please let go?"

Gaster didn't let go. More goop swirled around Cody. Cody frowned, holding up his arms. His grip tightened on his pan.

"Don't make me hurt you." he warned the former royal scientist.

"Attack him already, you idiot!" Chara yelled. Cody ignored them, even when the goop was now at his waist, acting like a boa constrictor. It seemed Gaster wasn't listening.

"I'm really sorry," Cody said, sighing. "But you just won't listen." He whacked Gaster with his pan, causing the monster to free him. Cody fell on his butt, while Gaster was flung backwards into a pile of goop. Cody stood up, holding out his pan. His knees were slightly bent.

Gaster got back up. Piles of goop approached Cody, making the boy shiver. He stepped back, batting them away with his pan. Suddenly, a large, white, skeletal-like hand picked Cody up and threw him roughly against the ground. Cody's HP decreased and blood came out of his nose. Cody wiped his face, glaring at the red on his hand. He stood up, his body shaking ever so slightly.

He wasn't ready to give up just yet.

More goop approached the child, wrapping around his legs. He struggled, trying to escape. But he could not. Hands appeared all around him and fired blasts of magic. Cody batted them away with his pan, like he was playing tennis with 8 people at once. Chara was still watching, an odd look on their face. A blast of magic grazed Cody's shoulder, causing him to yelp in pain. His HP decreased again.

"Stop it!" Cody yelled. He forced his way out of the goop. Hands approached him. One of them flew past his face, scraping his cheek. Cody fell to his knees, cupping the side of his face. He breathed heavily.

Another hand picked him up, throwing him against the floor. Cody was convinced he'd broken an arm. Keeping his broken arm in place, he grabbed his pan in his good arm and batted away more blasts of magic from the many hands. Goop wrapped around his legs once more. He could feel energy draining from them… he didn't think he could stand up much longer. He took a deep breath, using one last burst of energy to jump out of the goop. For a brief second, he thought he was safe.

"Look out behind you!" Chara yelled warningly. But too late. Another large hand picked Cody up and threw him into a pile of awaiting goop. It wrapped around him like a cocoon, cutting off his airways. Cody couldn't move. All he could see was darkness. His mouth foamed. His body felt weak and useless. His heart was hammering. His HP was decreasing.

He was going to die.

He almost smiled. I'm sorry, Mom...

But then suddenly, he was released. He was lying on the ground, his HP at 1. His vision was blurry and his head was aching like he was having a migraine. He was covered in blood, yet despite everything, he was still alive. He wondered why he had been saved. Then he realised.

"Stand back," Chara growled, approaching Gaster. They were holding a knife, which was covered in goop. "You will not harm anyone ever again."

Gaster made a sound. Floating hands approached Chara. Chara held up their knife, prepared to defend themself. Cody, though his arms felt weak, managed to crane his head over and observe what was happening.

Chara sliced the hands away with their knife, their face twisted into a scowl. Goop approached them. Chara stepped back, running off at top speed. Hands chased them around. Chara turned back and sliced them, turning them into shattered pieces. The pieces rained down like glass.

"You think you deserve a life after what you did?" Chara asked, glaring at Gaster. "All you do is hurt others. You are no better than Frisk. You are no better than me."

"Frisk…" That child again. Cody frowned. Who were they?

He stared at Chara. He wondered...

Gaster reached out a hand. Chara jumped backwards, avoiding his attack. They held up their knife as Gaster prepared more attacks.

"Someone is trying to save you, and this is your response," Chara growled at the monster. "Go to Hell."

Gaster's face melted even more. Darkness was radiating out of him.

"Hey…" Cody tried to sit up. He coughed, making his bones tremble. Blood trickled out of his nose. "Please… be careful…" He paused, staring at Chara with sympathy. "Frisk."

Chara turned around and stared at him. "That isn't my-"

They didn't say anymore because a blast had gone through their chest.

Cody watched in horror as Chara fell to their knees, white cracks appearing all over their body. They were glitching. They flashed from a grey colour scheme, to suddenly having pale skin, reddish-brown hair, flushed cheeks, and were wearing a lime sweater with a pale yellow stripe, and brown pants and boots. They looked… like a child Cody had seen somewhere…

"Leave…" Chara whispered, staring at Cody. They were still glitching, their knife beside them. Cracks appeared all over their face. (Déjà vu for those who've read the spin-off.)

But Cody didn't want to leave. He hadn't known this child for long, but they'd saved him, and they… seemed pretty nice. He didn't want them to die. He stood up, his legs shaking. He gripped his frying pan.

"No…" Chara groaned, holding out a hand. "Get out of… here…"

"I'm not gonna let you die." Cody told them. He limped over to them and wrapped them in his apron. Ignoring Gaster, he pulled out some spare food in his inventory.

"You would want me to die…" Chara told him. "If you… knew who I was…"

"Well, I know you now and you're a nice kid," Cody replied, smiling at them. "So you're not going to die."

Chara frowned. "Later on, you will regret this." But their frown turned to a smile. "But… thank you."

Cody fed them some biscuits. At least he could cook those. Chara stayed still, the apron still wrapped around them. But they hesitantly ate the biscuits. Then Cody stood up and stormed over to Gaster.

"You," he said through gritted teeth. At first, he was angry. But… he softened up. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone else." He sniffled. "But please… just let me help you without you… hurting me."

He clutched his side. He was still only on 1HP. Gaster's face melted even more. Cody forced himself to eat one of his biscuits. His HP increased to twelve. Cody felt a surge of energy rush through him. He took another step towards Gaster.

"Just leave, Cody…" Chara grumbled. "He can't be saved."

Cody, feeling bad, ignored them. He stared at Gaster.

"Please," he pleaded the scientist. "All I want to do is help you."

Gaster stared at him, his face still melting. Cody felt hopeful. Suddenly, using his magical hands, the Royal Scientist approached Chara. They were surrounded by the monster's hands. The hands were lit up, prepared to...

"Wh… what are you doing?" Cody asked Gaster in horror.

Chara laughed, clinging onto Cody's apron. "Karma."

Gaster's face was indescribable. Chara was smiling. Cody realised what Gaster was going to do.

"Make your choice, Cody," Chara told him, smiling. "Will you save him or me?"

"I..." Cody wiped his eyes. He didn't want to say goodbye to either of them. He had promised to save Gaster, but... "I'm... I'm so sorry."

Cody whammed his frying pan across Gaster's body. Hard. Gaster began glitching, melting even faster. The hands around Chara shattered like glass. Gaster's skull cracked. Cody realised what he had done.

"Wait… no…!" Cody squeaked, holding out his hand. "I didn't mean to…!"

"I told you he can't be saved," Chara said dryly. "That, or you made the wrong choice."

"No…!" Cody stared at Gaster, who was slowly disappearing.

"I'm afraid so," Chara looked away. "But do not be sad. He was destined to disappear anyway." They mumbled, "Just like the rest of this world."

"No!" Cody protested, tears in his eyes. "I have to do something!" He paused for a brief moment. Suddenly it hit him.

He pulled out his green soul. He knew what had to do.

"What are you doing?" Chara asked Cody, giving him a strange look.

"I'll give Gaster half my soul," Cody replied, his lip trembling. "Maybe that will bring him back."

Chara's eyes widened. "No! You cannot!"

"I have to," Cody responded, his head bowed. His smile was sad. "No one ever said I had to save myself."

"No!" Chara yelled, suddenly standing up. They were in full colour. They quickly reverted back to grey.

"I'm sorry…" Cody said, approaching Gaster, his soul in his palm.

"Stop!" Chara yelled. "That… you…!" Their voice turned demonic. They had their 'creepy face' on. "If you do that, your soul will be useless for my plan."

"What?" Cody turned around and stared at Chara, startled at their appearance.

"Cody…" Chara smiled at him, back to their grey self. "If you give up half your soul, you will lose half of your life-span. You will be incredibly weak. And you don't want people to think you're weak, do you?"

"But… it'll save Gaster, right?" Cody asked.

"Yes, but…." Chara put on a convincing tone. "He would never be a good monster. He would just cause more chaos. If you did save him, I promise…" They paused. "You'd regret it."

Cody, unfortunately enough, was pretty gullible. "But… he seems so helpless…"

"He tried to kill you and me," Chara looked down. "If he were alive, he would try to kill your friends." They stared at him. "You don't want your friends to die, do you?"

"O-of course not!" Cody stammered.

"Then keep your soul," Chara said. "Trust me, it's something you won't regret."

"B… but…" Cody stared at the melting Gaster. "What will happen to…?"

"Who cares?" Chara asked. "No one cares about Gaster anymore. In this timeline, no one even remembers him." They muttered, "Aside from that skeleton, maybe." They shook their head. "But you know who people do care about?"

Their face was serious. "You, Cody. They care about you. If you die… you'll be letting all those people down."

"I… I don't know…" Cody mumbled. That child sounded very convincing…

"Some people cannot be saved," Chara told him. "That is all."

Cody stared at Gaster one last time, his heart aching. He looked at Chara again, who was smiling at him.

"Don't feel bad," they said. "It's more kind to let him die."

Cody turned around, still holding onto his soul. Gaster was almost gone. Tears were in Cody's eyes.

"I…" Cody looked down. Then he stared at Gaster. "I… I can't just let someone die…!"

Chara's voice was dark. "The world let me die. No one was there to save me."

"What?" Cody asked them, raising his brow.

Chara blinked, shaking their head. "Never mind."

"... who are you?" Cody asked them with concern. They were familiar… from somewhere… they weren't Frisk, so who…

Chara paused. "Do you… care about me?"

"Well, yeah!" Cody replied, straightening his back. "We haven't known each other that long, but…"

"Then it is best if you do not know," Chara replied. Their face twitched. "If you knew my identity… you would not like me anymore."

"What?" Cody asked, shaking his head. "No way! I-I wouldn't mind!"

"So you say," Chara mumbled. They looked up. Their expression was indescribable. "Do not look behind you. You will not like what you will see."

Cody resisted the urge to look behind him. "... but why?"

"Because," Chara laughed. It wasn't a happy laugh. "Gaster is gone."

"You are such a crybaby," Chara said, sitting next to Cody. He had been sobbing for ten minutes straight. "You remind me of-" They stopped themself with a sob of their own.

"Why do people keep getting hurt because of me…?" Cody sobbed, covering his face. "I... I thought I could save..."

"Life is cruel," Chara answered. "That's why I hated it so."

"Wait…" Cody stared at them with surprise. "You're… dead?"

"I have been dead for a very long time," Chara replied, hair covering their face.

"Am…" Cody shivered. "Am I dead too?"

"If you were dead, Frisk would have reset the timeline," Chara responded. "No, you are merely in a coma. I am surprised Frisk didn't reset on this. I guess they do not want to reset unless someone dies."

"I'm... in a coma?" Cody asked, wiping his cheeks.

"Yes," Chara replied. "You are in a coma. That… spider that bit you... its venom (or so forth) was not strong enough to kill you."

"You know about that?" Cody asked.

"I know about your whole journey," Chara responded. "I've been travelling with you and your friends since you fell down."

"Wait… what?" Cody asked, making a face. "But… but... we never saw you with us!"

"Usually I cannot physically appear unless there is enough determination," Chara answered. "There was enough determination for me to physically appear, but Frisk was preventing me from doing so. I can only appear when they are preoccupied, or they aren't feeling very determined. Such as a time back in Snowdin with that obnoxious bridge. Where Frisk was with that orange boy… Brandon or whatever his name is."

"Brayden," Cody told them. He made a face. "But who... who is Frisk?"

Chara gave him a strange look. "Are you serious? How could you not know who Frisk is? They have been with you the whole journey as well!"

"What?" Cody asked, raising his brow. Chara groaned.

"Humans!" they grumbled. "They never learn anything!"

"Oh…" Cody looked ashamed. "Sorry."

"Whatever," Chara spat, still annoyed. Cody got an idea. An idea about how to make his new 'friend' feel better.

"Hey…" he stared at them. "If I can't save Gaster… maybe… I can save you?"

"I don't deserve saving," Chara responded guiltily, their head bowed. "I am too much of a monster."

"No way!" Cody responded brightly, grinning at them. "You're amazing! I don't know who this Frisk is, but they're crazy for not letting you appear and stuff. I mean, for a second I thought you could've been Chara, but… you're way too nice to be Chara. They're an evil jerk."

Chara blushed. "Oh…"

"You should come back with me," Cody held out his hand. "I bet everyone would like you."

"No, no no," Chara turned away. "I cannot. Frisk would never allow it. Just go back alone, okay? You tried your best."

"But…" Cody felt his heart ache. His eyes were watery. Couldn't he save anyone?

"Just go." Chara told him, hiding their emotion.

"What if I never see you again?" Cody asked them. Chara stiffened up. They turned around.

"Oh, you will see me again," they smiled at him, a glint in their eye. "But do not worry about me. Your friends are most distressed about you. Especially your sister."

"Clover…" Cody wiped a fresh tear out of his eye. He took in a deep breath. "Can I save anyone at all?"

"You saved that Vulkin," Chara told him. "And Frisk. And… your sister. You saved her too."

"I guess," Cody looked down, still frowning.

"I will let you leave now," Chara said, looking away. "There is nothing else for you here, Cody. I promise you will not regret leaving me behind."

"I don't think so," Cody shook his head.

"You think so," Chara mumbled. "But you don't know so."

Cody pouted. "One more thing." He turned around and gave Chara a tight hug. The First Human stiffened up with surprise like Percy. But they managed to relax and gently return the hug.

"Ha… ha…" they laughed, holding back tears. "I don't want to let go."

Cody gently released the hug. "Thanks."

He turned around to leave.

"You know," Chara mumbled. "Maybe there is hope... somewhere. Some place. You may get another chance. Do not give up. And, um... one more thing." They held up a hand. Cody looked at them. "You remind me of someone."

"Who?" Cody asked, tilting his head.

"My best friend," Chara replied with a sad smile. "His name was Asriel Dreemurr."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, randomly, I've decided that Cody's birthday is Feb 24th. Because... that's the day I posted the Cody's Kindness chapter. :P Hmm, I should make the day I post the backstory chapters the kids' birthdays... 0_0
> 
> Anyway, you may be wondering why Gaster... wasn't saved...? I mean, doesn't that make the whole thing pointless? Well, firstly, my view on Gaster is different from everyone else's. I personally believe he's too messed up to be saved. Like Asriel, there's really no hope for him. Sorry, that's life. *shrugs* I mean, hey, it's one of the messages of Undertale: some things have to be left behind. :)
> 
> Secondly, I, uh, thought bringing him back now would sort of mess with the plot. Notice how I said 'now'. ;) ;) And also we needed some Chara and Cody... no I don't ship them... don't ship them... DON'T DO IT.
> 
> L8ter sk8ters!


	27. MTT Resort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: OIII IT'S CLOVER TIME! :P
> 
> ALSO YEAH I SKIPPED THE METTATON MUSICAL THING DEAL WITH IT WEENIES CODY FIGHTING GASTER IS MORE IMPORTANT
> 
> Now, it appears we are approaching the end. Yeah, the end will be pretty similar to the one in the game (the neutral ending that is ;) ). I wanted this story to be very loyal to the game in its story and characters, for the most part. Which is why the characters are pretty cartoonish - so are most of the characters in Undertale! I wanted them to fit right into Undertale's universe, whilst still having some realistic traits. :P And I kept most of the events that happen in the game the same, while changing up others for character development.
> 
> JINX198 IF YOU KEEP UPDATING AND OVERTAKE ME THEN YOU'RE GROUNDED *angry emoji*
> 
> Happy reading peoples!

~Clover~

Clover growled, pacing around in a somewhat large room. She was walking around a large, comfortable bed. The lampshade light was shining into her face. While the whole Muffet business was happening, the kids had participated in another Mettaton shenanigan. However, Clover had almost killed Mettaton because he was testing her patience, so the kids had to quickly leave, dragging Clover with them. They were now staying in the MTT resort, but they had to share a room because every other room was booked out. Percy wasn't too happy about that. He opted to sleep on the floor.

Right now, Clover was the only one in the room… aside from her brother, Cody, who was passed out. He was lying on the bed, looking so… peaceful. Clover eyed him. She held back tears. She wasn't going to cry. Not now.

"Clover, come on," Melody opened the door, her arms folded. "You've been in there for twenty minutes. Come out here and-"

Clover cut her off with a deathly glare.

"Fine," Melody grumbled, taking a step back. "Stay in there."

"How's Cody going?" Brayden asked, popping his head in. Clover glared at him as well. He made a face and retracted his head backwards, being all NOPE.

"Come on, let's go back to playing chess." Melody sighed, taking Brayden's arm. He whined about losing every single match to Faye while leaving. Clover didn't pay them any notice. Normally, she'd be nicer to her friends. Melody and Brayden both drove her up a wall, but… they had their moments. Melody could be… tolerable… sometimes. And Brayden was Brayden. We all love that guy, don't we? ;)

Clover heard Percy and Faye talking outside the door about something. Warning, this is a really stupid and pointless scene but it exists.

"Faye… can you keep a secret?" Percy asked.

"Yeah…" Faye replied timidly.

"Well, you know how I spout random facts sometimes?" Percy asked. He sounded… genuinely nervous. "I was… secretly using the internet on my 5th iPhone to research half my dialogue. That penguin thing in the trashcan made me do it. So… I don't actually know about that much stuff."

"I already knew that," Faye mumbled. A little louder, she said, "This conversation… is kind of random. We should've probably had it in your arc, Percy. It's a shame the author has terrible planning skills."

Wow thanks...

"I know, and I can't socialise," Percy replied. He paused. "Wait, arc…?"

"Nevermind." Faye shrugged innocently.

"Anyway, are Cody and Clover in that room?" Percy asked. He gasped. "Do you think they heard the whole conversation we just had?"

"Hmm…" Faye sounded contemplative. "Probably not." She mumbled, "But everyone who reads this fanfic just did, silly."

Clover opened the door and glared at them. Percy clung onto Faye. Clover didn't really want to scare those two, even though they just had the stupidest conversation in the whole fanfic. Faye was adorable. She was almost like a little sister. And Percy… Percy was just straight up weird. But… Clover couldn't really hate him. He seemed to be a nice guy underneath. Even though she just conveniently and randomly found out he'd been researching every random fact he spouted. Ultimate plot twist right here ladies and gents and everything else in between.

But even if Clover did really appreciate her friends, she just wanted to be alone with her brother. He was the only family she had left.

Disappointment was dragging her down. She couldn't protect him, and he'd almost died. He had overestimated himself again, and he almost died. He was tricked by a burst of confidence. It had happened before, and Clover knew it would happen again… she was angry. She was angry she didn't yell back at her brother. She knew how gullible he could be. She held back another sob. She wanted to decapitate that Muffet monster and all her spiders. How dare she. How dare she harm someone completely innocent.

And then there was the eighth human.

The eighth human… they had arrived at the MTT Resort, supporting an unconscious Cody. Their face was hidden. But they, not using words, managed to explain that he was in a coma. The kids put their green-souled friend on a bed in the room they'd booked, hoping he'd wake up. He hadn't yet.

Clover had nagged the eighth human about resetting, but they had stubbornly refused.

"You did it for Percy, why not my brother?" Clover asked them bitterly.

The eighth human was wearing a dark expression. They turned away, hair covering their face.

"Well?" Clover growled.

"Leave them alone, Clover," Melody said, leading the eighth kid away. "They did their best."

"Their best wasn't enough." Clover spat.

"Clover!" Melody crossed her arms. "That was very rude!"

"Yeah," Clover replied. "But you know it's true."

Was it really? Clover sighed and leaned back on the wall. That's when her brother sat up, his chest rising up and down.

"Gaster…" he groaned, rubbing his eye. "Oh no…"

"CODY!" Clover yelled, racing over and tackling him in a hug. The relief she felt was indescribable. She had never been happier to see her brother.

"Clover…" Cody replied, hugging her back.

"I HEARD CODY!" Brayden opened the door. He saw the siblings reuniting on the bed. "CODY!" He ran over and (rather rudely if I do say so myself) joined in on the hug. Clover pouted.

"Cody's awake?" Melody asked, entering the room. She was followed by Percy and Faye.

"Oh my god, it's a miracle." Percy said monotonously. Though… there was a small smile on his face.

"Cody! Oh thank goodness!" Melody said, walking over to Cody and smiling at him. "You had us all worried sick!"

"I wasn't sick." Percy commented. Melody ignored him. Faye hadn't said anything. It seemed she was waiting for something.

"HEY CODY!" Brayden yelled, glaring at the kindness child. "IF YOU EVER GO TO SLEEP FOR FOREVER AGAIN I'LL BEAT THE HECK OUT OF YOU!"

Clover gave Brayden her infamous death glare.

"I mean, instead of beating the heck out of you… I'll just beat you up normally…?" Brayden suggested. Melody face-palmed.

"Can y'all leave for a minute?" Clover asked her friends. "I wanna speak to my bro by myself."

"OH COME ON!" Brayden groaned. "YOU JUST HAD TWO HOURS BY YOURSELF!"

"Clover was with Cody by herself for twenty minutes, actually," Percy pointed out. "Cody was in a coma for two hours."

"I was in a coma for two hours?" Cody asked, his eyes widening. He shook his head. "Wait, where am I? What is this place?"

"Two hours is miniscule," Percy pointed out. "Some are in comas for days on end. And where are we? We're in the MTT Resort. This is a room we booked, since we're staying here for the night." Clover noticed an iPhone hidden in his notebook. Cheater.

"And… what happened to the stick kid?" Cody asked, concerned.

"They're fine," Melody replied. "They just…" Her nose wrinkled. "... wandered off somewhere. I'm sure they'll be back soon."

"Oh…" Cody looked down. "Well… if you see them, tell them I said thank you."

"Will do." Melody smiled. She eyed everyone but the siblings. "Come on, let's leave them alone."

"Wait…" Faye held up a hand. She walked over to Cody and whispered something in his ear. Clover didn't catch much of it, but she did hear 'the Void', 'dream beings', and 'them'... and something about Cody being sad.

After that, the others finally left. Clover sighed and adjusted her hat. She eyed her brother.

"I know what you're gonna say, Clover," Cody said, crossing his arms. He bowed his head. "And… I just wanted to say… I'm so sorry. You're right. Without you, I… I just get hurt. I don't know what I'm doing. If the stick kid wasn't there, I might've…" He trailed off.

"I told ya so," Clover responded. She was using an inside voice. She couldn't bring herself to yell. "Yeah, I'm pretty darn pissed, Cody. I'm just about ready to find that Muffet and give her a bad time. But the others won't let me. Especially Melody. So I can't do that. But there is something I can do." She turned away for a moment, contemplating her thoughts.

"Clover…?" Cody asked.

"Cody… just… promise me one thing," Clover suddenly faced her brother and firmly grabbed his shoulders. "Don't die on me. I don't care if you're tryna be noble, if whatever you're doing could lead to death, don't do it. Do you hear me?"

"But what if someone's dying?" Cody asked. "You of all people wouldn't let them die, would you?"

Clover bowed her head. When she looked up, her voice was serious. She had never been more honest before. "True. But you're different, Cody. Your life means more to me than anyone else's. If you die…" She almost laughed. "Then trust me, brother. The world will know what it really means to burn in HELL."

"Oh… no…" Cody looked like he was being strangled.

"So… promise you won't die?" Clover held out her hand. She didn't feel she was being too tough or scary. She was genuinely worried she would do something terrible if he…

And she couldn't imagine that. It was better to make a hard choice. Even if it involved putting her brother under severe pressure.

Cody swallowed, trembling. He muttered, "They were right. They were so right."

He sighed and accepted her hand. "I promise, sis."

Clover was feeling a bit drowsy. She'd been awake for far too long. Brayden and Melody were now playing checkers in their room. Brayden kept losing, even though Melody wasn't that good at checkers. The eighth human was still who knows where. Faye and Percy were watching Puella Puella Magi Madoka on Percy's 12th iPhone. Cody was… hanging out with a bunch of monsters, and his new Vulkin friend. The one that he'd saved, naturally. He'd named her Maya. And somehow figured out she was female.

Maya was now following Cody everywhere, rubbing up against his leg every ten seconds like some kind of cat. Cody didn't seem to mind. Clover wasn't sure about Maya at first, but then decided she wasn't really causing any harm, so let her stick around. Speaking of Clover, the justice child was wandering around the resort aimlessly when a certain monster approached her.

"hey kiddo," Sans gave her a classic smirk. "what's up?"

"Not much," Clover faced him. "What 'bout yourself?"

"same old same old," Sans responded. "i hear you and your friends are going to the core?"

"Yep," Clover nodded. "We're goin' tomorrow."

"nice," Sans nodded. "hey, you look pretty bored. how 'bout you come and get some dinner with me? i actually wanted to talk to you 'bout something."

"Just me?" Clover asked, tilting her head.

"yep," Sans jerked his head at the restaurant. "so how about it?"

"Well, I've got nothin' else to do," Clover shrugged. "Why not? Could go for a meal anyway."

"thanks clo," Sans replied, winking. "let's go."

Clover followed Sans into a restaurant on the side of the MTT resort. She had to admit, Mettaton really had everything. There were a lot of monsters there, seated at tables, enjoying themselves. Clover and Sans sat at a table at the back.

"gettin' closer to the end, huh?" Sans asked, leaning his skull on his bony palm. "you must be pretty stoked about goin' home."

"You know it," Clover replied. "We ain't that far now."

"Yeah…" Sans said. He seemed curious. "y'know, when you think about it… it's not really that bad down here. you've got food, friends, water… each other. i mean, hey, i'm not saying you should stay or anything, since, y'know, you and your friends have the power to free us, but… in case something goes wrong…"

"No way in Hell are we stayin' down here," Clover grumbled. "Way too dangerous." And besides, some humans have loving families...

"s'cool with me, i'm rootin' for ya," Sans shrugged. "anyway. lemme tell ya a secret." He looked around, like he was worried people were listening in. "you're my second favourite human in the group. my first… well, you could say she's my... faye-vourite."

Clover chuckled at the joke. She always had a fondness for puns. She tilted her head. "Why am I your second favourite?"

"you… kinda remind me of me, with your brother and all," Sans responded. He drummed his fingers on the table. "so. i would've called faye over here but she probably wouldn't do anything. like me, she's pretty lazy. and insecure. you, however… you would do something. something as soon as you can."

"What're you talkin' about?" Clover asked.

"funny story," Sans chuckled. "so… let's just say, a little birdie told me some… very interesting things about some members of your group. including you."

"What'd they say 'bout me?" Clover asked, now interested.

"well…" Sans looked away. "they said… they said that in another timeline, you…" He looked back. "you were a murderer."

"Excuse me?" Clover asked, glaring at him.

"they said you killed a lot of monsters," Sans continued. "you were angry. you were unstoppable." He paused. "you were not a good person."

"But I would…" Clover felt furious. Who was this little birdie? She wanted to…

"now hold on," Sans waved a hand. "i'm not calling you a murderer. from what i've seen, you're not a bad kid. you've got a temper, sure, but you're not a bad kid. this little birdie, however… they had different ideas. they suggested that i should…"

He chuckled, a dark look on his face. His sockets had turned black. "Tear you to bloody pieces."

Clover stood up, reaching for her gun. "You threatenin' me?"

"whoa, whoa, whoa," Sans waved his hands again. "chill out. i was just messing with you, clover. i made a promise with a lady behind a door not to kill any humans. you're fine."

"A lady behind a door?" Clover asked.

"yeah," Sans said. "y'know that big purple door in snowdin forest that's always locked? there's a lady that lives behind there. she's really good. loves my jokes. one day, she made me promise not to harm any humans that came through that door. and you'd better be darn thankful she did that… or otherwise, let's just say..."

His sockets had turned dark again. "I wouldn't need a little birdie to tell me to kill you."

Clover glared at him. "I don't trust ya anymore."

"i'm just kidding, chill," Sans smirked. "you really have got a temper."

"I'm not a murderer," Clover warned him. "But don't you dare hurt my friends, or you'll regret ever meeting me."

"whoa," Sans raised his bone brow. "intense much?"

"I'm serious," Clover repeated. She put her gun away. "But for now, I trust ya. And hey…" She made a face. "You're my second favourite monster out of the ones I've met so far."

"whoa, really?" Sans asked. "who's your first, then?"

"Papyrus," Clover answered. "He reminds me of my brother. Both of them are so… gullible. They need to be protected."

Sans chuckled. "i can't disagree with that."

Clover returned to the room. The eighth human had come back from wherever with a bunch of sleeping bags and food. Everyone (aside from Cody) was now fast asleep, including them. Food was scattered around. That eighth human had so much GOLD.

Percy was in a sleeping bag, same with Melody. Faye and Brayden were sharing the big bed with the eighth human, who was sleeping in between them. Cody was still outside. He wasn't tired at all, so he was still hanging out with Maya and other monsters.

Clover rubbed her eyes. She was tired as well. She grabbed a sleeping bag and plopped it on the floor. She felt concerned about her brother. But he'd promised not to die. And Clover knew he would keep that promise.

Though... she couldn't stop worrying. Her eyes just wouldn't shut. So she stayed awake, sweat crawling down her cheeks. She was about to go outside and check on Cody when suddenly the eighth human sat up with horror, their eyes wide. They were breathing heavily. They took a few moments to calm down. After that, they quietly clambered out of the bed and left the room.

Clover was naturally suspicious. They could've been just going to the bathroom, but she wasn't exactly sure. They looked… terrified. She was honestly concerned. So she decided to follow them.

The eighth human was moving like they were James Bond. They snuck through the reception, their head bowed. They were jogging lightly, like they were trying not to make noise. Insert Mission Impossible here. Clover was… suspicious. She continued following them.

The eighth human exited the hotel. They were walking on a long, wooden bridge, leading to a shiny, bright blue place, which Clover guessed was the CORE. A light breeze was ruffling their hair. They began sprinting, their head down. Clover was now even more suspicious. What were they doing? Why were they running? Were they… they couldn't be…

Abandoning everyone.

Suddenly, the eighth human stopped. They were about halfway to the CORE. They turned their head to the left. Other than that, their body was completely still. They were… staring at something in the distance…

The child reached their hand out. Their eyes were wide. Below them was complete darkness. But they didn't care. They moved their body forward. It looked like they were about to step off the edge…

"NO!" Clover yelled, suddenly in hero mode. She raced towards the kid, holding onto her hat. She couldn't let them nearly die again. Yet they were so close to falling off…

Clover wrapped an arm around their waist, pulling them back. Their body stiffened with surprise. But they did not protest against her pulling them back. If anything, they looked relieved. They shook their head, closing their eyes.

Clover released the eighth human, then glared at them.

"What the heck was all that about, pardner?!" she demanded. "You could've died!"

The eighth human looked away, expressionless. They sat down, their legs dangling over the edge of the bridge. Clover sat down next to them.

"Are you alright, pardner?" she asked them. "You never tell us anything about how you're feeling."

The eighth human shrugged, giving Clover a grin. They seemed to be saying, I'm fine.

"I'm worried about you," Clover told them, raising her brow. She really was. They had so many secrets. "Weren't you just trying to… kill yourself?"

The eighth human shook their head frantically. They almost looked like they were about to say something, but they… held it back.

"What were ya doin' then?" Clover asked them.

The eighth human looked off into the distance again. Clover caught their eye. She couldn't tell what they were trying to say. Then for a moment, she heard… voices.

"You're a fool," a voice whispered. "They will never trust you."

"No, Chara," a voice replied. "They will never trust you."

Then Clover felt something jab her side. It was the eighth human with their stick. They were giving her a strange look.

"What's wrong with you?" Clover asked them, her voice full of concern. "What are you hiding from me?" She stood up, glaring at the eighth human. They shook their head. They gave Clover a friendly smile. A reassuring smile, like they knew a happy ending was confirmed. Doesn't mean it is. ;)

"You scare me," Clover admitted, sitting back down. "Look, kiddo, we like you and all, but we really wanna know what your deal is."

The eighth human paused for a moment. They simply stared at her.

Clover sighed. "You'll tell us someday, won't ya?"

The kid nodded.

"Y'know, if I wasn't so tired I'd be meaner than this," Clover sighed, adjusting her hat. "You're darn lucky. Clover lucky."

The eighth human rubbed her shoulder.

"Thanks," Clover grinned at them. "And… thanks for not letting my bro get killed. Though… still think you should've reset."

The eighth human looked down.

"Hey," Clover spoke… calmly. "I guess you're kinda sad about not bein' on the surface. I mean, my bro's the only family I have, but I bet you've got a family up there who loves you."

The eighth human didn't respond to that. Their face just darkened.

"Touchy subject, sorry," Clover said, looking away. "So, excited 'bout going to the CORE tomorrow?"

The eighth human shrugged.

"You're not that talkative, are ya?" Clover asked. She sighed. "Let's not hang around here. I'm tired. Let's go back inside."

The eighth human held up a hand. They quickly drew a sketch of Sans with a conveniently placed pen and piece of paper, then showed Clover.

"Yeah… I did have a chat with Sans…" Clover answered. The eighth human quickly drew another sketch. Clover observed it. "What did we talk about…?" She frowned. "Now that's where it gets interesting." She made a face. "I think Sans wants us dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I like this chapter but I also don't... not the most exciting, but I still kinda like it. It gives you some questions. Where does Frisk come from? Do they have a family? Why am I asking these questions? That's not my job. XD
> 
> Now I can't decide whether to post the next chapter as a mini chapter or a full chapter... it's pretty short. We'll see where the wind pushes our sails. North or East? Up or down? Sinistral? Dextral? In your local trash can? Find out next time on this stupid fanfiction!
> 
> Later sk8ters!


	28. Mini chapter: So Sorry (And Burgerpants)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Shout-out to Vi on DeviantART (and Discord) for drawing some truly lovely Grouptale fanart... I'll have to post it somewhere. XD
> 
> So for this whole week I was pretty sick which sucked and I missed out on half the school week. Remind me not to overdose on lactose. XD
> 
> Since this is a mini chapter, I wanted to update earlier, but... to be honest I didn't really feel like it. :/ Even now I'm not sure...
> 
> Lectio felix! If you know what that means you get a cookie. ;)

"Guys, look at this," Percy said, walking down the hallway of the MTT Resort, passing the many rooms. Faye was beside him. The other five were following.

"Where are we going?" Brayden asked.

"We found something cool…" Faye said. She pointed ahead. Past some creepy, green monster that was melting (Cody stiffened up at that), there was a black space. In the middle of that black space was a sign.

"Learning how to draw?" Percy read the sign. "Come to the Art Lessons on the second floor! Located in a similar place." He gasped. "I have to go to that. I can draw all the manga I've ever dreamed of."

"Drawing?" Brayden groaned. "THAT'S BORING!"

"I like drawing too…" Faye mumbled.

"That makes it slightly less boring," Brayden replied. He blushed. "BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY! KIND OF! SLIGHTLY KIND OF!"

"I don't fancy goin' to art lessons." Clover frowned.

Melody nodded in agreement. "Besides, I bet they'd be kind of hard to find. What second floor? L2? R2? Good gravy."

The eighth human jumped up with enthusiasm. That gave Percy an idea.

"The unnamed one knows where the art lessons are," he said. "They can take Faye and myself to them."

"What if y'all get attacked?" Clover asked, tilting her head. She stared at the eighth human. "I know you're a great bodyguard and all, but… I don't trust this." She adjusted her hat. "I'm goin' as well."

"You don't mind leaving Cody behind?" Melody asked. "Unless he wants to go as well. Please don't make him go. I'd rather not stay behind and babysit Brayden by myself for an hour."

"HEY!" Brayden grumbled. "I'M NOT A BABY! I'M A MAN!"

"I'm trusting you two can keep an eye on my bro," Clover said, eyeing Melody and Brayden. Her face was serious. "Because if you don't, I'll kill you."

"That... won't happen," Cody said, crossing his arms. "Besides, I've gotta look after Maya. We'll be fine."

Clover pouted, eyeing her brother. He looked down.

"This social situation is stressing me out," Percy commented. "Let's please leave."

The eighth human led the squad out of the MTT resort and to the art club, which is on the second floor, like that sign said. Somewhere around there anyway. The kids found another sign in the middle of some platform thingy after walking on a glass path.

"Art Club: Meet here!" the sign read. "Next meeting: October 10th 8PM."

"But it's only March," Percy pointed out. "Mid-March. And, secondly, it's around 11AM in the morning."

"Welp, that stinks," Clover said, not so secretly relieved. "Let's go-"

Suddenly, the author made it October 10th, 8PM, with their magical author powers. Ponystories ex machina.

"Oh, hey, it's October 10th, 8PM now." Faye said, somehow knowing that information.

"Alright then, what're we waitin' for?" Clover asked, tilting her head. The kids looked around.

Nothing happened.

Clover snorted impatiently. "This whole thing is bollocks, I tell y'all what."

Suddenly, the kids could hear someone running and shouting. "Ahhh! I'm late! I'm so sorry!"

A yellow, dragon-like creature crashed into the quad. This initiated a battle.

You're blocked in politely!

"Is that some kind of kangaroo?" Percy asked, observing the monster. The monster had brown… hair… and was wearing a hat. He also had a long tail and large hind legs.

"Or a wallaby…" Faye said.

"Alright, what's your deal?" Clover asked the monster, teeth gritted. He nervously tapped his paws together.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" he apologized… or introduced himself. "How clumsy of me… I've bumped into you guys! I'm such a klutz. I was just here to find something to draw, and… oh no, it's ok!" He waved his paws/hands/etc. "It's ok! I'll give you all a gift to make up for all your trouble."

"Manga!" Percy suggested. The eighth human made a '-_-' face.

"Manga?" So Sorry asked. His face lit up. "I'll look for it!" He turned around. He swung his long tail at the children, though unintentionally. For some reason, it kept changing from teal to orange. Look, I don't know how magic works. The eighth human pushed their friends back, their hand faintly glowing red. The tail almost hit their head.

"Hey," Clover tried to get So Sorry's attention. She raised her voice, dodging his tail. "Hey!"

"Huh?" So Sorry looked over his shoulder. "Oh, um… I can't really find any manga, sorry. But I can draw some with my notebook!" He held out a notebook, which had a smiley face on it. "I'm quite the artist, you know." He had a rather creepy expression. "I'll draw you some GREAT manga!"

"Oh yes please." Percy grinned. We're in for it now.

"No!" Clover grumbled. So Sorry had already turned around and started working on drawing manga. Clover took a step towards him. "Hey!"

The eighth human pulled her back when So Sorry started swinging his tail again. It was a near miss. Clover held onto her hat.

"Thanks, pardner." she said, smiling at the kid. They smiled back.

So Sorry looked perturbed. "S… sorry… the manga didn't come out too well. I think I made the eyes too big. Wait! I know the problem! I just have to find a better piece of paper for it!"

"Or you could-" Clover was interrupted by piles of paper being flung at her and her friends. She gritted her teeth. She currently wasn't too fond of So Sorry.

"Um…!" Faye squeaked. She was basically drowning in paper. She held up her arms, but paper was everywhere around her. She was suffocating. The eighth human reached out their hand. She grabbed onto it. They pulled her out, noticing her low HP. Clover did as well. And Clover was pissed.

"None of my powers are good enough to use..." So Sorry grumbled.

"You." Clover gave So Sorry her infamous death glare.

"IT'S OK!" So Sorry shouted. "I know what I can do! I'll use my magic pencil! It has to be under some of these papers somewhere!" He started throwing paper everywhere again.

"Can you just listen to me for one second?" Clover growled at So Sorry, covering her head. The eighth human lightly grabbed her arm. They had a certain look on their face. Clover sighed, taking a deep breath. They were right. She had to calm down.

But she wasn't sure she could.

"This is extremely dangerous paper," Percy observed the paper lying around. "While this much paper is probably hurting the environment… I need it in my life. So I can attack my enemies without having to use physical force."

"And it's hurting us too." Clover glared at Percy. He adjusted his glasses.

"Here! I got it!" So Sorry held up his magic pencil which looked no different than an ordinary pencil. "My magic pencil is amazing! Everything I draw with it looks… COMPLETELY REAL!"

"Oh, my goodness," Percy gasped emotionlessly. "We can make anime real."

Two scribbles with horns appeared next to So Sorry. They looked like something a preschooler would draw.

"That's not anime." Percy said, severely disappointed.

"Looks like anime to me." Faye said, smirking.

"You've betrayed me." Percy said, turning away from her.

"Guys, look out!" Clover shouted. The… scribble things were throwing… raisins…? At the group. The eighth human batted some of them away with their stick. Percy, meanwhile, was jumping up and down and complaining about anime, almost like he was about to go BAN KAI again. Clover pulled out her gun, holding her head down. She aimed at it So Sorry.

"Um…" Faye said warningly. She got hit in the head by a raisin, almost getting knocked out.

"No one else is getting hurt," Clover said, glaring at the monster. She placed her finger on the trigger. "And some people just won't listen."

Suddenly, the eighth human stepped in front of So Sorry. A memory played in Clover's head. It was a memory of the RUINS, when she shot them. How they almost died. If they weren't super OP, they would've…

Clover, trembling, held down her weapon, staring at their face. They were smiling. A peaceful smile.

"Ban… KAI!" Percy yelled, drawing a helicopter with the magic pencil and throwing the doodles into it and making it fly off. "AND NEVER COME BACK! YOU MANGA IMPOSTORS!"

"I messed up," So Sorry panicked. "I really messed up. Oh no."

"Fear not," Percy stared at him. "I'll teach you how to draw manga." He sat down next to So Sorry and got out his notebook. With his pencil, he sketched a picture of something, muttering words. The other three kids shared a look.

"Oh, that's… pretty nice!" So Sorry observed Percy's sketch.

"Yeah," he stuttered. "It's Clover… but as an anime girl."

"You drew me as an anime girl?" Clover asked, raising her brow. Percy blushed. Clover observed the drawing. She nodded. "That's pretty good. You even gave me… cat ears...?"

"Yeah…" Percy answered shakily, his cheeks flushed. "I-I drew you as a nekomimi."

"We should all draw things!" So Sorry gasped.

"Ooh," Faye smiled. "I've got an idea of something to draw."

"I don't draw too much," Clover shrugged. "Can't hurt to try."

The eighth human shrugged. With that, So Sorry handed them all a piece of paper and pencil each. The kids started drawing things.

Clover drew… a clover. And some subtle fanart of her favourite video game characters. The eighth human drew their soul. Admittedly, Clover was expecting a little more from them because of all the drawing they had done before. Faye drew herself as… some kind of fairy. She had a fancy, light blue cloak on, and her hair was everywhere. Light blue wings were attached to her back.

"What's that, Faye?" Clover asked, noticing her friend's drawing. "You as a fairy?"

"Kind of," Faye shrugged. "I call it 'HyperFaye'."

"Wow, you guys did great!" So Sorry admired everyone's drawings. He looked at Percy. "And thanks for teaching me how to draw manga!"

"Everyone should learn how to manga," Percy responded. "Everyone."

"Welp, I suppose I had better be going now," So Sorry chuckled. "Bye! See ya! Hasta la vista! Until next time! L8ter sk8ters!"

Bruh.

"Usually, a person will only use one farewell greeting before departing." Percy pointed out.

"You're right," So Sorry sweatbeaded. "I'd better go now!" He ran off.

"Welp, that was… strange." Clover commented. "Wonder what Mel, Brayden and Cody were up to."

"Probably playing chess." Faye shrugged.

"SO, I wanted to be an actor," Burgerpants rambled on. He said nothing else.

"Why are you so angsty?" Brayden asked him.

"Oh, I'm not angsty, kid," Burgerpants laughed. "I've just lost all my hopes and dreams!"

"FORESHADOWING!" someone yelled in the background.

"So you're angsty, then." Melody snorted.

"Look kids, I'll give you some advice," Burgerpants warned, waving a paw. "You've still got time. Don't live like me. I'm 19 years old and I've already wasted my entire life."

"Ditto," Percy commented. "Aside from being 19."

Brayden looked relieved to see that the kids had returned.

"Thank GOD!" he yelled. "That guy was painful!"

"I'm still here, little buddy." Burgerpants mumbled.

"So, um, how were the art lessons?" Cody asked the 4, Maya near his leg.

Clover winked. "They were alright. We didn't do anything... that exciting."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm gonna draw those things the kids drew in this chap and put them on my deviantART, so if you're into that check it out. :P


	29. The CORE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, this week killed me. School has been throwing assessments and homework at me left and right, and I've had a few mental breakdowns. So once again I'm at the bottom of the barrel.
> 
> Apparently you guys like me appearing in a trash can and being annoying... so don't worry, I've incorporated some more of that in for you. ;)
> 
> And thank you to the guest that reviewed last chapter, but please don't call me 'Pony'. It's Ponystories. XD

~Clover~

"What in tarnation…" Clover stared at the two monsters in front of her.

"Hey! Check it out!" an alligator monster exclaimed.

"Yeah! Check it out!" a purple cat monster also exclaimed. They were very… glamourous and girly, to say the least. Clover wasn't too fond of them from first glance. She hated all that 'girly' nonsense. It made her skin crawl.

"Who the heck are you two?" Brayden asked them. Melody pouted at his lack of manners.

"I'm Bratty, and this is my best friend, Catty." the alligator answered.

"I'm Catty, and this is my best friend, Bratty." the cat answered. They looked at each other and giggled.

"Bratty? Sorry, but… what kind of name is that?" Melody asked.

"Melody, that's so rude." Brayden said snidely. Melody glared at him.

"Anyway, can you guys help us with a like, problem?" Bratty asked, her lip twitching. "We went to the Garbage Dump before and we, like, found… this…"

"This, uh… thingy?" Catty said, making a face. "We can't make them go away." She pulled out a trash can. The author popped out of it.

"Guess who's back!" I said.

"Oh no." Melody groaned.

"Ohhhhhh yesssssssssss," the weirdo that is me replied. "Oops, foreshadowing." Suddenly, the haters put a rocket on my trashcan. The trash can took off, the author screaming, "OH NOOOOOOOOO-"

"What the actual Hell." Clover grumbled.

"Well, at least they're gone now…." Cody commented, nervously laughing.

That's where he's wrong. So, so wrong. ;)

"UGHHH!" Brayden yelled. "CAN THIS BOAT GO ANY FASTER?!" The children were taking the River Person's boat to Snowdin Town. Why, you may ask. Well... it was initially Percy's idea, since he said that the humans' phones would not be able to connect to the monsters' while they were in the CORE. So everyone decided they had to say goodbye.

"We must proceed at a high velocity." the River Person said. The boat sped up, the front of it turning into a dog's face. Melody yelped, clinging onto Brayden. He groaned.

The kids arrived back in the cool town that is Snowdin. Clover thought Snowdin was pretty, but she missed the RUINS. They reminded her of home.

"UNDYNE, LOOK!" Papyrus pointed at the approaching children. "IT'S THE HUMANS!"

"Hey punks!" Undyne greeted, waving with a big grin. "It feels like ten chapters since I last saw you guys in person! How's it going?!"

"Could be better," Melody said. She frowned. "We... actually came to say goodbye."

"Wait, what?!" Undyne asked, her eyes widening.

"HUMANS!" Papyrus exclaimed emotionally.

"Your phones won't be able to access ours once we enter the CORE, due to it being a large tower of electric energy," Percy said.

"Aww man..." Undyne looked down. "Well I'm... um... I'm kinda gonna miss you kids."

"I'm gonna miss you too!" Cody responded. Clover let him cry into her shoulder.

"HUMANS!" Papyrus exclaimed for the third time. "OH NO! YOU'LL NEVER GET TO TASTE MY NEW AND IMPROVED SPAGHETTI!"

The children pretended not to look relieved.

"Welp," Clover faced the monsters. "From behalf of everyone here... I just wanted to thank y'all. You did try to kill us and all but... I guess you've redeemed yourselves. And darn... I'm gonna miss you guys too."

"OHHH!" Papyrus started sobbing.

"H-HEY!" Brayden said, hiding his face. "I'M NOT C-CRYING! S-STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!"

Undyne gritted her teeth, bowing her head. "Kids... I know you've got an important mission ahead of you: stopping Chara. It's going to be hard, heck yeah, but you've just got to stay DETERMINED! We believe in you, SO DON'T GIVE UP! WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU! ALL OF OUR HEARTS ARE BEATING AS ONE!"

"Woohoo." Percy said emotionessly.

"LET'S DO THIS THING!" Melody yelled, punching the air. She blushed. "Man... I can't believe I just did that. I swear I've been spending too much time around Brayden."

And so the real journey began.

The kids began walking towards the CORE, hotel music playing in the background and wind rushing around them. The CORE was surrounded by electricity and wires; it was almost a little intimidating. Clover was never into tech itself, aside from video game consoles. Percy, however, was fascinated. Until two suspicious black sausages waltzed into the CORE.

"Huh?" Alphys rung. "Who are they? N-nobody else is s-supposed to be here…"

"Not including us?" Melody asked.

"Oh, no, you guys are fine," Alphys chuckled anxiously. "Not like you're w-walking straight into danger or anything!" She paused awkwardly. "Um! Anyway! We can't worry about that now. Let's just go in!"

"Did she say we're walkin' straight into danger?" Clover asked, pouting.

"Technically, we've been putting our lives at risk for every second we've been down here," Percy pointed out. "We're not walking into any more danger than average if we enter the CORE."

"Fair enough." Clover shrugged. Though… she was still mildly suspicious. Something was… off. She and the other humans entered the CORE. Blue walls completely surrounded them. Wires glowed, connecting the walls. An elevator was directly in front of the kids.

"Ready? This is it!" Alphys said nervously.

"Wait, hold on…" Percy frowned. "How come your phone can access ours through the CORE? That should not be possible."

"Um… my phone's… got special connection!" Alphys answered, chuckling anxiously. Percy frowned. "Anyway! Are you guys ready? Take the elevator up to the top of the CORE!"

"That's all?" Brayden groaned. "BORING! I WANT A FIGHT!"

"Brayden, you'll JINX us," Melody scolded him. Someone was snorting in the background.

"I would say luck doesn't exist, but Clover…" Percy blushed. Clover gave him a strange look. Percy hid his face.

The kids approached the elevator. It wasn't working.

"BRAYDEN!" Melody grumbled. Brayden stuck his tongue out at her.

"What?" Alphys called, sounding shocked. "The elevator should be working… w-well then! Go to the right and keep heading up!" She hung up.

"Alright then," Clover said. "Come on, y'all." She and the others went to the right and headed up. However, there was a huge pit blocking the way.

"Uh…" Everyone looked awkward.

"Oh… no," Alphys sounded embarrassed. "Um, how about you guys go left instead?"

So the kids went left instead. The glowing path was clear.

"Okay, you should be able to make it through here," Alphys' voice came through the phone. She paused when two black sausages approached the kids. "W-watch out!"

Madjick pops out of its hat!

"Madjick… magic… hee hee." Faye giggled at the pun.

"Where'd these guys come from?" Clover grumbled, making a face.

"You could say they're…" Faye smirked. "Madjickal."

"UGHHHH!" Brayden groaned, clenching his fists. "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FOCUS IF YOU'RE TELLING BAD PUNS!?"

"Clover," Percy approached Clover. She stared at him. "The nameless one informed me that to spare this mercenary one must stare into its orbs - the spheres floating beside it. And, um… your glares are very… 'intense'. So… maybe you could…"

"Good idea, Perce." Clover replied, grinning. She stepped forward. She glared at the orbs, which were glowing. Somehow, she managed to shatter both at once. Madjick ran away in fear.

"That was AWESOME!" Brayden cheered, fist-bumping Clover's arm. She adjusted her hat.

"Guess I got myself a powerful glare, huh?" she asked, chuckling.

"Th-that was close," Alphys said, sounding relieved. "Wh… why are there so many monsters here?"

"Who cares?" Brayden asked, grinning. "We can take 'em!"

"Yeah! B-Brayden's right!" Alphys said. "I-it's no problem! We've just got to keep heading forward!" She hung up.

"I don't trust this," Clover admitted. "Do any of y'all kinda feel like Alphys is… behind something deeper?"

"Oh please, I've been thinking about that for ages," Melody replied. "I know my theatre. Everything feels all scripted and stuff."

"Or… Alphys is just nervous?" Cody suggested.

"You give people too many chances, bro," Clover replied, staring at him. "Everyone deserves a fair go, but some people just take advantage of that."

"Like you?" Cody mumbled. He walked away, his head down. Clover just stayed silent. She didn't really have a response to that. That's because he was right.

Was she really unfair?

"Looks like you guys can't proceed until you hit the switch," Alphys said. The kids were now standing in front of a bridge surrounded by lasers. "B-but, those lasers will activate when you do. Umm… looks like they'll come in this order: Orange. Orange. Blue. G-got it? Move until the third one!" She hung up. The eighth human stood in front of everyone, determination on their face. Faye turned off the switch.

An orange laser, then two blue lasers approached the kids. The wrong order. The eighth human pulled out their red sword and split it in two. They held them out, forming some kind of red barrier. The lasers went safely past the children. Aside from Faye, who was at the back.

"Um…!" Faye squeaked, eyeing the lasers. Clover acted quickly, pulling out her gun and firing a bullet at the lasers. They fizzled and cracked, breaking down. Faye gave Clover a grateful smile.

"Oh my God, are you guys okay?" Alphys called. "I… I'm sorry, I gave you the wrong order."

"Thank goodness we have the stick-wielding child and Clover." Melody said, relieved.

"E-everything's fine, okay?" Alphys said, sounding slightly unsure of herself. "L-let's just keep heading to the right." She hung up.

"I've seen enough TV to guess that everything ain't gonna be fine." Clover grumbled. The kids kept going forward. They came to a crossroads.

"A crossroads…" Alphys sounded unsure. "Uhh… uhhh… tr… try heading to the right!"

The kids had barely taken a step when Alphys frantically rang back.

"W-wait!" she exclaimed. "No, I th-think you should head up!"

"MAKE UP YOUR MIND!" Brayden grumbled. The kids headed up. There were two more black sausages there in that space. They became one monster - Knight Knight.

Knight Knight blocks the way!

"What the HECK is THAT thing?" Brayden asked, making a face.

"It looks like an owl, kind of." Percy answered. Suddenly, someone started humming a jazzy tune. It sounded like the one back in Waterfall. The kids turned towards the eighth human, who was humming and gently rocking their head.

"Oh!" Melody's face lit up. "I remember this!" She hummed along with them, gently swaying. Knight Knight began to look sleepy. Soon, she fell asleep. And started snoring.

"70 gold!" Clover observed the gold Knight Knight left behind. "We're getting rich!"

"Sorry, I… I…" Alphys sounded upset. "I thought that…"

"You thought that what?" Clover asked, her focus now on the monster. She was running out of patience for Alphys. She kept leading the kids into danger. "That it'd be amusin' to lead us all to death?"

"N-no!" Alphys squeaked. "Not at all! It's just… it's just…!"

"What?" Clover asked bitterly.

"Just…" Alphys sighed. "Go to the path to the right." She hung up.

"She's definitely up to something," Clover mumbled. "I dunno what yet, but I'll find out."

The kids approached more lasers over a bridge. Percy frowned, observing them.

"We won't be able to pass those," he said. "Far too many."

"M… more lasers…" Alphys mumbled. "Okay, I… I won't mess around this time. I'll just deactivate the lasers and let you all through."

But nothing happened.

Alphys sounded panicky. "They're… they're not turning off… I can't turn them off, I…"

"You're absolutely sure about that?" Clover asked with a hint of suspicion.

"Clover, she's really scared, not now!" Cody pleaded, touching his sister's arm. She frowned.

"I-i-it's okay!" Alphys squeaked. "I have this under control! I'm going to turn off the power for the whole node. Then you guys can walk across." With that, the lights switched off. "Okay, go!"

"I don't trust this." Clover said. The eighth human held up their sword barrier. Clover found that slightly more comforting. The kids walked across the bridge, Clover eyeing her brother.

"W-WAIT!" Alphys yelled out of the phones. "STOP!"

Suddenly, the lasers switched back on. Everyone stopped. The eighth human's barrier managed to protect them, just in case.

"Th-the power…" Alphys mumbled. She sounded… sad. "It's turning itself back on. D-damn it… this isn't supposed to… I… I'm gonna turn it off again. When it turns on, move a little, then STOP. Unless… unless the… gender-neutral kid's barrier can protect you. Just… anyway, don't get hurt!" She hung up. The eighth human kept their barrier up, so the kids could proceed, even when the lasers were there. Clover wondered where their shield had been before and why they were only using it now. Darn eighth human.

Alphys called back, "S-see? Everything's under control!"

"No," Percy mumbled. "No, it's not."

The kids reached another crossroads.

"OK!" Alphys called back. "You should! You should…"

"Being honest here, Alphys, if you help us, you're probably going to lead us into a pit of fire or something," Melody told Alphys. "I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just saying-"

"You've got something planned, haven't ya?" Clover asked Alphys. She scowled. "You're like everyone else. You want us dead."

"I… o-of course not!" Alphys exclaimed. "I'm… I…"

"Okay, that's a little far-fetched, Clover," Melody said, waving her hands. "But I do kind of think there's something going on here."

"T-t-there's nothing going on!" Alphys replied. "It's just… I… I…" Her tone changed. "No, you know what? I'm no help to you guys anyway. The gender-neutral kid can lead you. They actually know what they're doing." She hung up.

"Oh Alphys…!" Cody bowed his head.

"Wow, salty." Brayden commented.

"I liked her…" Faye sighed. "She was... kinda like me."

The eighth human stood in the middle of the crossroads, before going north. The kids followed them. They ran into Astigmatism, who was basically Loox but evolved. Loox has evolved into Astigmatism!

"... Don't pick on me." it grumbled.

"People wouldn't pick on you if you were nice…" Cody pointed out.

"Nice…" Astigmatism sounded… thoughtful.

"Yeah!" Cody grinned. "It's not that hard. Just… treat people how you wanna be treated." He mumbled, "My life motto."

The Astigmatism seemed okay with that and let the kids go. Clover was proud of her brother. He was certainly growing up.

"This sign says we have to go East, for that's the End." Percy commented, taking notes. One path was blocked with a laser, and the others just went backwards. The eighth human went north, as it was the only option. The others followed. They stumbled across a trash can.

You have found a dank meme inside the trash can. What will you do with it?

Ignore it

Treat it like it's God

Everyone instantly chose the 2nd-

"Ignore it." Melody said immediately.

"Hey! Wait!" I said, poking my head out of the trash can. "You're supposed to get 100G from here!"

"You're the one who changed the story, not us." Faye pointed out. Very sly indeed. So the kids pissed off. The eighth human took them all north to a blue path. This path they had to traverse. They took one step, and two monsters approached them: Final Froggit and Whimsalot. Whimsalot was wearing a suit of armour.

"Oh Whimsalot…" Faye admired Whimsalot. "You've grown up so much. You're so brave now."

"Pfft, looks the same as ever." Brayden said, waving his hand.

"I've made my choices." Whimsalot replied. A wall of butterflies surrounded Brayden. He yelped in fear, stepping back. The eighth human pulled him away.

"Karma." Clover smirked, eyeing him. Brayden frowned.

Faye kneeled and prayed for safety. Whimsalot remembered its conscience.

"Don't give up!" it said brightly. Faye let two green butterflies rest on her fingers, her HP increasing. The Whimsalot then left the battle.

"Croak, creak." Final Froggit croaked.

"Hmm," Percy pulled out his secret iPhone. "Did you know frogs can jump over twenty times their own body length?"

"Croak…" Final Froggit recognises it has more to learn from the world.

Next up were the two mercenaries, Madjick and Knight Knight. Madjick left as soon as it saw Clover. Coward. Frisk and Melody hummed again, sending Knight Knight to sleep. Melody reluctantly gave the eighth human a high five.

The kids took another few steps. Suddenly, they stumbled across something I call what a nightmare! Astigmatism, Final Froggit and Whimsalot. Luckily, the group already knew how to deal with those losers. Cody reminded Astigmatism about anti-bullying, Percy told Final Froggit a great fun fact about frogs (Freddo frogs are too expensive!), and Faye kneeled and prayed for safety… again.

"Nice job team," Clover said, grinning at her friends. "Chara's gonna be no match for us."

"YEAH!" Brayden punched the air. The kids pulled a lever at the end of the room. They were almost done. Just a few puzzles now. Fun hey. ;)

The kids went back, searching for a puzzle. The eighth human knew where to go. The puzzle was like the ones back in Hotland. Percy got giddy since that dude loves his puzzles. He and the eighth human solved the first one in an underground record of five seconds.

The kids could now scram. On their way, they passed a conveyor belt with large chunks of ice. The ice landed in the molten-hot floor, vaporising into steam.

"Hey, I remember seeing a wolf putting that ice on a river back in Snowdin." Faye commented.

"And I saw that ice floating in a river back in Waterfall," Percy added. He gasped. "That's so clever! They use the ice to cool the CORE down. Oh my goodness, this is my new favourite place in the Underground."

The kids continued their journey. They ran into Final Froggit and Whimsalot once again. After whooping the booties of those two monsters (and by that I mean doing everything they did before but I don't want to write it all out again), they continued walking and finally found… the exit. Dun dun!

"We're almost there…" Melody said with shock. "Almost home. We're… we're gonna see…"

"We're gonna see our families…" Faye said, her head bowed.

"WE'RE GOING HOME!" Brayden cheered. He paused, his eyes wide. "My mom is so gonna kill me."

"My parents won't care. They don't care." Percy mumbled, immediately looking away. Melody put her arm around his shoulder.

"Well, we all do, Percy," she told him. "You're part of our family. You're not alone."

"Oh…" Percy smiled. A genuine smile. With emotion, he said, "Thanks, Melody."

"But what about Chara?" Cody asked, anxious. Clover knew his and her dad would be waiting for them on the surface. Personally, she didn't want to know how he was feeling. Because whatever it was, it wouldn't be positive.

"We'll take them down," Clover said.

"No, not that…" Cody paused. "Do you guys think… Chara has a family too?"

"They're dead, Cody," Percy answered. "Their family will be dead too. It has been a long time."

"Oh." Cody looked down. Clover squeezed his shoulder.

"Don't worry bro," she told him. "We've got each other. It'll be okay."

The siblings smiled at each other.

"Hey, where did the stick kid go?" Cody asked, looking around. The eighth human poked their head out of a rather colourful and pretty doorway. The way to go. Hair was covering their face. The kids went over to them and entered the doorway. Clover thought about one thing while looking at the eighth human…

Where did they come from? Did they have a family? The kids knew nothing about that kid. And part of Clover wondered… just a little bit… if that kid was hiding something very dark.


	30. Death by Glamour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, here's another mainly silly chapter (despite the fact that I've been major depressed all week oopsie). :P
> 
> A big shout-out to everyone I talk to on Discord, it's been a bit of a rough ending of the school term (yeah on school hols now) but with your support I'm still here. So thank you. :) And thanks to everyone who reads this trash as well... means a lot.

~Clover~

Clover wasn't surprised when she saw Mettaton blocking the way. She was, however, very annoyed. Couldn't the kids get a break for ten seconds?

"OH YES," Mettaton said. "THERE YOU ARE, DARLINGS. IT'S TIME TO HAVE OUR LITTLE SHOWDOWN." Brayden grinned at that statement. "IT'S TIME TO FINALLY STOP THE 'MALFUNCTIONING' ROBOT." He paused. "... NOT! MALFUNCTION? REPROGRAMMING? GET REAL. THIS WAS ALL JUST A BIG SHOW."

"Called it!" Clover yelled, folding her arms.

"YOU ALREADY FIGURED IT OUT?" Mettaton asked.

"That this is all fake?" Clover asked. "Yeah, I guessed so." She furrowed her brow. "I just wanna know… why. Why did you do all this?"

"IT WAS ALL ALPHYS," Mettaton responded. "SHE'S BEEN PLAYING YOU ALL FOR FOOLS THE WHOLE TIME. AS SHE WATCHED YOU ON THE SCREEN, SHE GREW ATTACHED TO YOUR ADVENTURE. SHE DESPERATELY WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT. SO SHE DECIDED TO INSERT HERSELF INTO YOUR STORY. SHE REACTIVATED PUZZLES. SHE DISABLED ELEVATORS. SHE ENLISTED ME TO TORMENT YOU CHILDREN. ALL SO SHE COULD SAVE YOU FROM THE DANGERS THAT DIDN'T EXIST. ALL SO YOU WOULD THINK THAT SHE'S THE GREAT PERSON… THAT SHE'S NOT."

"I knew it," Melody grumbled. "It felt all scripted and fake and…"

"She… she was lying to us?" Cody looked heartbroken.

"Where the HECK is she?!" Brayden growled, putting his fist in his palm. "I WANNA BEAT THE HECK OUTTA HER FOR THIS!"

"SHE'S RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR, ACTUALLY," Mettaton answered. "FOR YOU SEE, THIS IS HER FINEST HOUR. DURING OUR 'BATTLE', SHE WILL INTERRUPT. SHE WILL PRETEND TO 'DEACTIVATE' ME, 'SAVING' YOU ALL ONE FINAL TIME. FINALLY. SHE'LL BE THE HEROINE OF YOUR ADVENTURE. YOU ALL WILL REGARD HER SO HIGHLY SHE'LL EVEN BE ABLE TO CONVINCE YOU NOT TO LEAVE."

"I don't think so." Clover growled. There was no way she would listen to a traitor. A selfish traitor.

"... OR NOT." Mettaton said. "YOU SEE, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS PREDICTABLE CHARADE. I HAVE NO DESIRE TO HARM HUMANS. FAR FROM IT, ACTUALLY. MY ONLY DESIRE IS TO ENTERTAIN. AFTER ALL, THE AUDIENCE DESERVES A GOOD SHOW, DON'T THEY? AND WHAT'S A GOOD SHOW… WITHOUT A PLOT TWIST?"

Suddenly, the door behind the kids slammed close. Someone furiously knocked on the door. She sounded like Alphys.

"H-hey!" Alphys squeaked. "Wh-wh-what's going on?! Th-th-the door just locked itself…"

"Oh no, we're screwed." Percy said emotionessly. "Ahhh. I'm terrified."

The floor lit up a bright red. Clover grabbed onto her brother with one arm and pulled out her gun with the other.

"SORRY, FOLKS! THE OLD PROGRAM'S BEEN CANCELLED! BUT WE'VE GOT A FINALE THAT WILL DRIVE YOU WILD!" Mettaton exclaimed. The floor began going up. "REAL DRAMA! REAL ACTION! REAL BLOODSHED! ON OUR NEW SHOW… 'ATTACK OF THE KILLER ROBOT'!"

Clover glared at Mettaton. "You were the one that rearranged the CORE, werent'cha?"

"YES, I WAS THE ONE THAT REARRANGED THE CORE!" Mettaton exclaimed. "I WAS THE ONE THAT HIRED EVERYONE TO KILL YOU! THAT, HOWEVER, WAS A SHORT-SIGHTED PLAN. YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE A HUNDRED TIMES BETTER?" If he had a face, he would've grinned sadistically. "KILLING YOU ALL MYSELF!"

Clover fired bullets at Mettaton's solid metal body. They flung off like ping pong balls.

"THAT WORTHLESS PEA-SHOOTER WON'T WORK ON ME, DARLING," Mettaton chuckled. "DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT ACTING IS? YOU WERE NEVER ANY THREAT TO ME. QUITE FRANKLY, I COULD'VE EASILY OBLITERATED YOU, EVEN IF THAT OP RED-SOULED HUMAN HAD BEEN THERE."

"I'mma punch him!" Brayden gritted his teeth. Percy stood next to him.

"His body is made of metal," Percy informed Brayden. "You'll break your hand if you do."

"SEE? THAT PURPLE HUMAN KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT!" Mettaton clapped. He faced Percy. "THEN YOU SHOULD KNOW SOMETHING ELSE, SHOULDN'T YOU, DARLING? THE TRUTH ABOUT WHEN YOU MEET ASGORE."

"Um…" Percy frantically flipped through his notes. "C… Chara?"

"OH YES, THE FALLEN ANGEL!" Mettaton exclaimed. "OUR SAVIOUR!" Everyone frowned at that. "YOU KIDS ARE WEAK. IF YOU CONTINUE FORWARD, ASGORE WILL KILL YOU AND TAKE YOUR SOULS. HE WILL USE THEM TO RAISE THE FALLEN ANGEL AND DESTROY HUMANITY."

Blocks rained down on the kids. Clover whipped out her gun and began firing. She managed to shoot the majority, with only Melody getting hit on the head. Sorry Melody. Clover, aside from that, was pretty impressed with her skills.

"BUT IF I GET YOUR SOULS, I CAN STOP ASGORE'S PLAN!" Mettaton continued. "I CAN SAVE HUMANITY FROM DESTRUCTION!" More blocks rained down. Instead this time, they were lines. Clover continued firing, protecting herself and her friends. She was actually kind of enjoying herself.

"THEN, USING YOUR SOULS, I'LL CROSS THE BARRIER," Mettaton said. "AND WITH MY GOD-LIKE ABILITIES, I'LL BECOME THE GREATEST TV STAR YOU'VE EVER SEEN! YOU THINK I WAS NUTS DOWN IN THE UNDERGROUND? DARLING, YOU ARE NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT I WILL SHOWCASE ON THE SURFACE! HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS… NO, MILLIONS OF HUMANS WILL WATCH ME!"

"Well, humans would find a robotic TV star less terrifying than a living, breathing skeleton." Percy pointed out.

Clover glared at Mettaton. He wanted to take the souls of the kids and become god-like? No thanks. It made him no better than any other monster. She wasn't having any of that.

She wondered… was there any way to stop Mettaton…? The eighth human might know. And indeed they did.

There was an off switch on Mettaton's back. Alphys called to talk about it, but Clover refused to listen to her. She didn't listen to traitors.

"Hey!" Clover yelled. "Mettaton! There's a mirror behind ya!"

"OH?" Mettaton asked. "A MIRROR? RIGHT, I HAVE TO LOOK PERFECT FOR OUR GRAND FINALE!" He turned around, revealing an off switch on his backside.

"Let's end this, you vermin." Clover grumbled. She flipped the switch. Mettaton's body froze.

"Um… Clover…" Cody eyed his sister. She held her breath.

"DID YOU. JUST FLIP. MY SWITCH." Mettaton spoke every syllable slowly. He suddenly started shaking at an imnese rate, his lights going haywire. The kids were forced to take a step back. The eighth human wore a pair of sunglasses (that they got from who knows where). A bright light consumed their vision.

A voice boomed, "OH YES!"

...

Smoke covered the stage. Some kind of figure was standing behind it. "Ohhh my. If you flipped my switch, that can only mean one thing. You're desperate for the premiere of my new body. How rude. Lucky for you children, I've been aching to show this off for a long time. So, as thanks… I'll give you all a handsome reward. I'll make your last living moments…" A Michael Jackson/Elvis Presley type monster appeared, with the sexiest legs you've ever seen.

"ABSOLUTELY beautiful!" he exclaimed.

"Oh no…" Melody shook her head. "Clover, what have you done?"

"Do you think I wanted him to become that thing?" Clover retorted, glaring at Melody.

"He looks like a vocaloid now…" Percy said with wonder.

"WAIT, HOW DID HE CHANGE INTO MICHAEL JACKSON!?" Brayden asked, staring at Mettaton. His expression was hard to describe. "AND WHY ARE HIS LEGS MAKING ME FEEL WEIRD?!"

Mettaton swung his legs at the kids, knocking them back in surprise. The eighth human poked Clover's side. They pointed at her gun, then at Mettaton's legs. Clover nodded. She fired at the legs. They swerved around, making them easier yet somehow harder to dodge. A heel kicked Clover in the cheek. She grumbled, falling to her knees. She wiped her cheek, giving Mettaton the stink eye. The ratings had increased by a solid 90 due to the violence that was portrayed.

"Drama!" Mettaton yelled. "Romance! Bloodshed!"

"HEY!" Brayden taunted, waving his arms. "I'M NOT GONNA GET HIT AT ALL!" As soon as he said that, a bomb exploded near his face, knocking him out cold. Another great move from the Fanta-coloured soul child.

"Watch this!" Melody yelled. She did a pirouette, raising her arms. The audience clapped and ratings went up. Melody 1, Brayden 0.

Meanwhile, Mettaton's little robot things (calling 'em Minitons) threw a bunch of sweetheart-like things at the kids [A/N: I had to google the name for Sweethearts…]. They made Percy very dizzy. The eighth human pulled him back, using their body as a shield. Clover stood in front of her brother and Faye, shooting at Mettaton's legs.

"Sis, look out for those!" Cody pointed at some blocks. Clover gritted her teeth.

"Just has to make this harder for me." she grumbled. The eighth human suddenly ran in, holding out their sword. They batted away some of the Minitons. Clover gave them a grin. They returned it.

"I'm gonna help Brayden." Cody said. He ran over to Brayden, who was rubbing his forehead. Faye kept slinking back, holding onto her toy knife.

Brayden ate a Glamburger he bought back at that wacky MTT Resort. His HP increased and so did the ratings. He cheered.

"Guess who's BACK, SUCKERS!" Brayden yelled at the cameras. A Miniton landed on his head, knocking him out for a second time. Dammit Fanta boy.

Faye started dancing in the corner, making a bunch of… interesting hand movements. Somehow, this increased the ratings.

"Smile for the camera, darlings!" Mettaton exclaimed.

"Ugh." Melody turned on her heel and scoffed at the audience, raising the salt levels over 9000. The audience rooted for her destruction. Minitons chased her around. Clover sighed and fired at the bots, saving Melody's life. Melody 0, Clover 1.

"Oooh, it's time for a pop quiz!" Mettaton said, poking his tongue out.

"Put that tongue away this instant or I will kick you where the sun doesn't shine!" Melody yelled.

"Melody!" Clover stared at her. "Girl, that's too far."

"He's being too far, Clover," Melody responded. "Look at him! Disgusting."

Clover rolled her eyes.

Mettaton spoke over them. "I hope you brought a keyboard, or notepad, or a reviews section… this one's an essay question! What do you love most about Mettaton?"

Clover frowned. She wasn't quite sure what to write for this one.

...

SUPERMAN: HE'S GOT NICE LEGS...?!

OtakuBoy: He looks like an anime boy.

~MelodyTrust~: Although he's gross, he's got some nice moves.

Ilikecooking6: Um… he's a kinda nice guy?

sevenleafclover: guess hes got some cool fighting moves

imfayedingaway: ponystories' trashcan ;)

mynameisnotchara: ...

...

"Oh my!" Mettaton exclaimed, reading everyone's results. "These are fabulous! And my legs are indeed quite nice." He smirked. "Ponystories' trashcan, hmm? Well that's a bit raunchy, cyan human."

Mettaton is saving your essays for future use.

"Legs…" Brayden said, hypnotized by Mettaton's legs. Melody rolled her eyes again.

"Those essays really showed everyone your hearts," Mettaton said. "So why don't I show you mine?"

A white heart floated out of Mettaton's chest, releasing barrages of lightning bolts. Minitons flew down and dispersed some more sweethearts. The lightning bolts were everywhere. The kids were forced to scatter. Clover stood back, keeping an eye on her brother. She held up her gun. The eighth human gestured at the gun and held out their hand.

"You want it?" Clover asked. The kid nodded. Clover bit her lip, putting the weapon into the determined child's hand. And wow… even Clover was shocked by their skill. They shot the Minitons with ease, colours exploding everywhere. They moved like they were the Flash, determination in their every step.

"But how are you on the dance floor?" Mettaton asked. The eighth human flipped the gun in their fingers, like they were mocking him. A disco ball appeared above the kids, spewing out blue lasers. The kids stayed still for the blue lasers. When a white one appeared, the eighth human fired a bullet at the disco ball, changing the laser to blue.

"THAT'S RIGHT SUCKERS!" Brayden yelled at the audience, pointing at the eighth human. "THEY'RE THE KING/QUEEN! THEY KNOW WHAT'S UP!"

Brayden nearly got knocked out again, but the eighth human swooped in and fired at the Miniton about to hit him in the head. Eighth human 20, everyone else 0. Faye danced in the corner again. Melody danced alongside her. The ratings continued to rise.

"Lights! Camera! Action!" Mettaton exclaimed. The eighth human turned and blew a raspberry at the audience. They screamed and cheered, rooting for their destruction.

...

"SANS!" Papyrus yelled. "WHY DO THOSE HUMANS LOOK SO SIMILAR TO THE ONES THAT SLEPT OVER AT OUR HOUSE?"

"dunno bro," Sans shrugged. "must be a coincidence."

"YEAH KIDS!" Undyne yelled. "YOU SHOW HIM WHO'S BOSS!"

"Oh no…" Napstablook said. "The red one is so OP… and Mettaton… he's nice I guess..."

"Co…. dy….!" Maya squeaked, lava squirting out of her head. She was still at the MTT Resort because the CORE was too dangerous for her. Yeah I forgot to put that in the CORE chapter oops...

"Those darn kids," Burgerpants chuckled. He frowned. "I can't believe a bunch of fetuses are achieving more in five minutes than I did in my entire life."

"YOU RULE GUYS!" Monster Kid cheered.

"METTATON! METTATON!" All of MTT Resort chanted.

"WHY AM I STILL HERE?!" I yelled, flying past the group with some trash cans.

...

"These attacks are obviously too easy for you," Mettaton chuckled, doing a few dance moves. "I guess that means I'll have to release my special attack! Hold onto your kneecaps!"

Clover frowned. "What does he mean by-" Suddenly, Mettaton's legs detached themselves and approached the kids like missles. Quickly. Almost like lightning. Clover was meaning to jump out of the way, but one pierced her through the stomach and carried her up into the air. Her sight went dizzy. All sounds around her dispersed. Her arms went limp. She couldn't feel anything but pain.

Pain...

...

"clover…" Sans frowned. He covered his brother's eye sockets.

...

"CLOVER!" Cody screamed, his voice cracking. The eighth human propelled themself up using their sword, grabbing onto the leg. They moved upwards with Clover, eyeing the poor girl. They grabbed her waist and pulled her on board the leg. She felt numb. Blood was splattered all over the leg.

She wanted to die... die so the pain could go away...

The eighth human stuffed something in her mouth. Suddenly, she felt the pain disappear. Her stomach felt normal again. Clover blinked.

"Th... thank you," she thanked them. She raised her brow. "What... what did you feed me...?"

The eighth human wagged their finger, as if they were saying, 'it's a secret.' They grabbed onto the rear of the leg. Darkness was on their face.

"Ya wanna drive this thing?" Clover asked. The eighth human nodded. Clover grinned. "Pardner, I like your style."

The leg holding the two children came zooming down. Everyone gasped and stared.

"YEEHAW!" Clover yelled, which she really should've done ages ago. "WE'RE BRINGING YA DOWN, YA CHEATIN' VERMIN!"

"They're riding a flying leg," Percy said, adjusting his glasses. "Life doesn't get much more exciting than this."

"Oh myyyy GOD!" Mettaton yelled. "THAT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!"

"CLOVER!" Cody yelled in joy. "STICK KID!"

"I WANNA RIDE A FLYING LEG TOO!" Brayden yelled.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL IS GOING ON!?" Melody yelled, grabbing her hair.

...

"SANS!" Papyrus yelled. "SANS! A FLYING LEG, SANS!"

"heh heh," Sans chuckled. "atta girl, clover."

"YEAH!" Undyne cheered. "NOTHING STOPS MY KIDS!" She blushed. "Did I just call them 'my kids'...?"

"METTATON'S LEG! METTATON'S LEG!" the whole MTT Resort screamed.

"Leg so hot you fry an egg!" Catty and Bratty squealed in sync.

"CROAK!" Froggit croaked.

"WHY IS EVERYONE SCREAMING?" Burgerpants screamed. He banged his head on the desk. "SHUT UP! I CAN'T HEAR MY OWN INTERNAL SUFFERING!"

...

The eighth human held up Clover's gun. The leg flew over Mettaton's head. In slow motion, the eighth human fired a bullet at Mettaton's heart. It shook, like it was going to crack. It returned to Mettaton's chest. His arms wobbled. His eyes went dark. Smoke came out of his armpits.

"The show… isn't over yet…!" Mettaton cried. "Do you really want humanity to perish?!" He paused. "… or do you just believe in yourselves that much?!"

Minitons swarmed from left and right. The eighth human rapid fired at them, one of their eyes slightly open. Clover was still impressed by that. They were very talented. Maybe too talented…

"Well, it's either me or you kids!" Mettaton yelled. "Witness the true power of humanity's star!"

Lightning bolts once again rained down from everywhere, as well as Mettaton's heart making one more appearance. The eighth human prepared to shoot.

"Wait," Cody held them back. "I think that's enough."

"Cody's right," Percy said, looking up from his notes. "It seems Mettaton's body is about to collapse." He paused. "Alphys was right. In this form, he truly is vulnerable."

So the kids avoided the lightning bolts as best they could. Like Percy said, Mettaton couldn't handle the pressure and lost his arms. His eyes went white and his armpits continued to smoke.

"Looks like Mettaton's been… disarmed." Faye chuckled. Everyone groaned.

"OH MY!" Mettaton exclaimed. "LOOK AT THOSE RATINGS!" The ratings, yes, had gone over 9,000. Actually, over 15,000. More kids, more fame. "THIS IS THE MOST VIEWERS I'VE EVER HAD! WE'VE REACHED THE VIEWER CALL-IN MILESTONE! ONE LUCKY VIEWER WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO TALK TO ME… BEFORE I LEAVE THE UNDERGROUND FOREVER! LET'S SEE WHO CALLS IN FIRST!"

Someone rung in. Mettaton grinned. "HI, YOU'RE ON TV! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ON THIS, OUR LAST SHOW?"

"Oh… hi… Mettaton…" the viewer responded. They sounded… familiar. "I really liked watching your show… my life is pretty boring, but… seeing you on the screen… brought excitement to my life… vicariously. I can't really tell, but... I guess this is the last episode…? I'll miss you… Mettaton... oh, I didn't mean to talk so long… ohhh….."

"NO, WAIT!" Mettaton shouted, his voice full of melancholy. "WAIT, BL… H… THEY ALREADY HUNG UP…" He brightened up. "I'LL TAKE ANOTHER CALLER!"

"Mettaton, your show made us so happy!"

"Mettaton, I don't know what I'll do without you."

"Mettaton, there's a Mettaton-shaped hole in my Mettaton-shaped heart."

"Oh wow, Mettaton…" Faye said quietly. "It seems monsters really like you…"

"Yeah," Cody agreed. He shrugged. "Maybe… you should… not leave?"

"Have to agree," Clover said. "You're pretty special down here, Mettaton. On the surface, we've got tons of pop stars and stuff already. But what 'bout the Underground?"

"From my general observation, you seem to be the only celebrity down here." Percy said.

"As a performer myself, I can tell you it's always good to stay loyal to your fans." Melody added.

"Yeah, MTT!" Brayden grinned. "The Underground needs you and your legs!"

The eighth human gave Mettaton a thumbs up.

"EVERYONE…" Mettaton appeared emotional. "THANK YOU SO MUCH." He looked at the kids. "DARLINGS… THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE ALL RIGHT. IF I LEFT… THE UNDERGROUND WOULD LOSE ITS SPARK. AN ACHING VOID THAT CAN NEVER BE FILLED. AND… DARLINGS, I CAN SEE IT NOW. YOU'LL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO GET PAST ASGORE. YOU'LL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT HUMANITY."

"Aww..." Faye smiled.

"One more thing we should tell ya," Clover said, holding up a hand. "It's about Chara."

The kids explained Chara's plan. Mettaton looked quite astounded.

"WELL… I WOULD HELP YOU… BUT I AM NEARLY OUT OF BATTERY POWER," Mettaton sighed. "BUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME. I KNOW YOU ALL CAN DO IT. KNOCK 'EM DEAD FOR ME, DARLINGS! AND TO EVERYONE ELSE… THANK YOU… YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT AUDIENCE!" A bright light shimmered.

And Mettaton was gone.

"Mettaton…" Cody eyed Mettaton's upper body lying on the floor. His eyes were black. Clover wrapped an arm around her brother. She had to admit, she felt a little upset. She was starting to like the robot, even if he was a little arrogant.

"I… I managed to open the lock!" Alphys burst in. Everyone was too upset about Mettaton to have a go at her. "Are you guys…" She gasped in horror when she saw Mettaton. "Oh my God. Mettaton! Mettaton, are you…" She turned around and stared at the kids. "... thank GOD, it's just the batteries. Mettaton, if you were gone, I would have… I would have…"

"Would have…?" Clover asked, raising her brow.

"I m-mean, hey," Alphys quickly changed the topic. "It's n-no problem, you know? He's just a robot, if you guys messed it up-"

"He's not just a robot," Percy interrupted. "He's a ghost inside a robot's body."

"W-what?" Alphys asked, staring at him.

"Please, he has a better grasp of emotions than I do," Percy responded. "Well, probably because he doesn't have high-functioning Asperger's and Anxiety. Point is, if he really was a robot, he'd be acting more like me. And putting two and two together, I think he's related to Napstablook."

Clover wondered how he figured that out...

"Well… you're not wrong…" Alphys sighed. "I met him at the... Human Fan Club at his house. Back then, he was indeed a ghost. But he'd always wanted to be a performer, so I… designed a body for him. And… it all began from there."

"Well there you go," Melody said. She stared at Percy. "How did you figure that out?"

"I force myself to pick up on speech patterns and behaviour to attempt to learn about how one must communicate socially," Percy responded. "I'm terrible at it, but it helped me out in my investigation."

"Will he be okay?" Cody asked Alphys.

"Y-yeah, he'll be fine…" Alphys replied. "I can always build another…" She looked down. "Anyway, why don't you guys go on ahead? I'll catch up, I just… need a moment."

"YEAH!" Brayden yelled. "TO ASGORE'S!" He raced off.

Clover sighed, adjusting her hat. "Let's get outta this dump."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout-out to the real Maya, who isn't a Vulkin I'm afraid. More like my best friend. Call me weird for making her a monster in this. In real life, I'd say she's both my Brayden and Melody (and possibly my own Jerod, if you're reading this Jinx). This fanfic wouldn't be the same without you dude... though it took you long enough to finally start reading it lol.
> 
> Happy Easter and April Fools! :P


	31. Clover's Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's another one of these chapters... I have mixed feelings about this one. The story about Percy and Melody at the start was requested by some douche who knows who he is (I'm kidding I'm kidding). It takes away the seriousness of this chapter but oh well.
> 
> *Clover voice* Happppyyyy readin'!

~Clover~

The kids walked down a hallway, approaching an elevator. Clover kept thinking about the journey. It seemed it was reaching a close. The kids had made friends. They'd fought battles. They'd stuck together. Soon, they would be facing their greatest challenge of all. But Clover knew they would be able to overcome it.

The good guys always won, did they not?

Alphys appeared behind the kids, stuttering anxiously as usual. "S… sorry about that! L-let's k-keep going!"

"Sorry about all the lies you told?" Clover asked, glaring at her.

"Clover, not now…" Melody said, grabbing Clover's arm.

"I… I…" Alphys paused, bowing her head. "I'm… sorry about that too. I… I just wanted to feel… recognized for once. Something… other than a piece of garbage." She laughed. "Heh heh... I guess I was wrong. I'm still just trash." [A/N: … :)]

"I don't think you're trash!" Cody retorted, giving the monster a smile. "You're amazing, Alphys!"

"No I'm not," Alphys looked away. "I bet you all hate me."

"Well, you're kind of a douche," Brayden said, shrugging. "But I don't hate you."

"I have to agree with Brayden on that one." Melody nodded.

"I think you're actually really nice…" Faye said quietly. Cody patted Alphys' shoulder.

"You like anime, and even if I wanted to I can't hate you for that." Percy added.

"... everyone makes mistakes," Clover said. She took a step towards Alphys, a small smirk on her face. "How about this, pardner. We'll give ya another chance, like we did for all the other monsters."

Alphys bowed her head in shame. "D… don't bother… I've been lying to you guys about something else…"

Clover frowned. "Go on."

"Um…" Alphys paused. "Are you guys planning to shatter the barrier with your souls…?"

"HECK YES!" Brayden yelled.

"Not something we've thought about a whole lot, but it sounds like a good idea," Melody said. "Though we've definitely thought about going home. Human souls are strong enough to pass the barrier, right?"

"That's what it says in my notes." Percy said, holding up his notebook. "I've speculated that when all of us face the barrier together we will shatter it. A desired ending for us and our monster friends."

The kids cheered.

Alphys, sweat-beading, looked down. "Well… the truth is… to shatter the barrier you guys have to…" She looked up. Her eyes widened. "W… what happened to the elevator?!"

The group noticed the elevator had a leg sticking through it… explains where Mettaton's other leg went.

"Oh no…" Faye said quietly.

"OH MY GOD, THE ELEVATOR IS BROKEN BUT IT'S HOT NOW!" Brayden yelled. "I HATE AND LOVE THIS SO MUCH!"

"We're screwed," Percy said monotonously. "Oh no. Ahh. Yikes. Crikey. Scream scream scream."

"You sure sound it." Melody huffed, crossing her arms.

"Guys, stop," Clover waved her hands. Her brother was sniffling, which was making her frown. She stared at Alphys. "Tell me you know how to fix this."

"I… I do, actually…" Alphys said. "But… it'll take a while." She frowned. "I.. I'm sorry. This is coming out all wrong. Everything's messed up again."

"Well, if you can fix this, then we'll give you a pass," Clover told the monster. She pouted. "Another one."

"Oh!" Alphys blushed. "W-well, I'll try m-my best!" She walked over to the elevator and observed it. She pulled out some tools. The kids stared at each other.

"So, what now?" Brayden asked.

"We entertain ourselves for a while." Melody sighed.

"We should tell stories…" Faye suggested quietly.

"Stories…" Percy looked thoughtful. "I've got a story. Melody will know about this one." [A/N: AND SO WILL CERTAIN READERS-]

"What's this story?" Melody asked, staring at him.

"The one where I smiled." Percy answered.

"Oh God, please no…" Melody groaned.

"Wait, you SMILED?!" Brayden asked Percy. "I HAVE TO HEAR THIS!"

"Well," Percy cleared his throat. "It was a time… somewhat long ago."

"Why." Melody face-palmed repeatedly. "Why. Why. Why. Why?!"

"This isn't even the bad part," Percy said, staring at her. "So, Melody was trying to teach me how to be more… expressive."

"Mommy." Melody mumbled.

"She wanted me to smile," Percy continued. He looked down. "Smiling isn't something I do a whole lot. Mainly because I don't know when it's appropriate to smile. Anyway. Melody was teaching me how to smile." He paused. "Um… the result was…"

"Horrible." Melody said.

"Atrocious." Percy said.

"Terrible." Melody added.

"Disgraceful." Percy looked away.

"And just plain bad!" Melody and Percy said together. They looked at each other. Melody laughed. Percy frowned, but then he started laughing as well. He ended up making that creepy smile while laughing. Everyone backed away.

"Right then…" Clover said, adjusting her hat. "You two are weird."

"Yeah, I'mma stay over here." Brayden said, taking a few more steps back.

"Nightmare fuel…" Faye shivered.

"How about I tell a story this time?" Clover suggested. She grabbed Percy and Melody's shoulders, stopping them from laughing for the rest of this fanfic. "This story's… actually pretty personal. But… after everything we've been through together… y'all deserve to hear it."

"Personal?" Melody asked. Clover nodded.

"Ooh." Faye said, widening her eyes.

Cody made a face.

"Is this about…?" He stared at his sister, his lip quivering. She nodded. This was going to be hard to tell.

But she trusted her friends. They deserved to know.

Clover sat down, crossing her legs. She took off her hat and held it to her chest. Faye sat down next to her, followed by Cody. Melody and Percy joined them. Brayden raced over and sat down as well.

"Well, here we go, y'all," Clover said, bowing her head. "This story takes place after my mom died."

"WAIT YOUR MOM DIED?!" Brayden yelled. "DUDE!"

"Brayden, that's not how to approach this situation!" Melody grumbled. She stared at Clover, her voice melancholic. "Clover… and you too, Cody… I'm so sorry…"

"What for?" Clover spat, scowling. She hated it when people said that stupid phrase. It made her beyond furious. As if people could understand. "There's nothing to be sorry for. You can't do anything. Just shut up and let me tell my story. Okay?"

"Oh… a-alright." Melody looked away, hurt.

"Clover…" Cody patted his sister's arm. "Are you sure…?"

"Yes." Clover replied firmly. She cleared her throat. No one else seemed interested in interrupting. Her voice… was normal. No accent. "So, this story takes place after my Mom died. Basically, Cody and I were going to school as normal…"

...

"You're wearing that now?" Clover asked her brother, who was wearing a cream-coloured apron with a heart on it. Clover remembered… their mother got him that gift…

"Yeah," Cody replied, grinning. "It looks good… right?"

"Sure does," Clover said, nodding. "Though… I dunno bro, you might get teased for it."

"I don't mind," Cody said, shrugging. "I'm wearing it for Mom's sake."

"Good on ya," Clover replied. She paused. She used a more serious tone. "But seriously bro… if you do get teased or something… tell me, okay?"

She couldn't afford to lose anyone else…

"Okay." Cody grinned.

"Promise," Clover grabbed his arm, now full of melancholy. "Promise you'll tell me if anyone picks on you."

"... I promise." Cody said, squeezing Clover's hand. He began walking off, going to his class. "See ya, Clover!"

Clover waved, a dark look in her eye. She was going to kill anyone that messed with her brother. That she did promise.

...

"Wow…" Faye said. "That's pretty crazy Clover…"

"We haven't even got to the crazy part yet," Clover retorted, smirking. "You've seen nothin', pardner."

"It's not crazy," Cody mumbled. "It's horrible. I… I made a mistake."

"You wouldn't have made that mistake if you kept your damn promise!" Clover yelled, glaring at him.

"Well, I didn't want you to hurt anyone!" Cody retorted, his voice cracking. "I don't want you to protect me if all you do is hurt others!"

"You really think you should suffer for other peoples' sake?!" Clover growled. "You're just being a doormat!"

"You're just being a jerk!" Cody retorted, glaring at his sister.

"Guys, come on!" Melody said, waving her hands. "I know you're upset, but… there's no reason to fight." She sighed, as if she was some disappointed mom. "Do continue, Clover. I think your story's pretty interesting."

Clover sighed and continued….

...

Clover walked through the courtyard. She wasn't the most social person, so she didn't naturally make friends. She tended to find other girls kind of annoying (with a few exceptions). So she either hung out with boys or her brother.

...

"Girls aren't annoying!" Melody shrieked.

"Melody, I said aside from a few girls," Clover replied. She smirked. "And by that I mean Faye and myself. You're annoying."

"Oh shush!" Melody snapped. Brayden started giggling.

"Anyway, if I can continue…" Clover rolled her eyes.

...

Clover spent the next few days hanging out with her friends. She worried about her brother, but he seemed to be fine. Since their dad was still… in a situation, the siblings had become almost like the parents themselves. Cody was making dinner and Clover was keeping an eye on other things. She was too young to get a job so she had to convince her dad to get one, which was easier said than done.

"Yeah, I still have to nag him to do that stuff," Clover grumbled. "Sometimes we have to get relatives over to help. Dad's just a mess." She frowned. She wasn't a parent. "I hate him."

"Clover…!" Cody yelped.

"Don't you get sick of him?" Clover asked Cody, glaring at him. "Look what you have to do because of him! You've become the house-keeper!"

Cody looked away.

"Hey, I hate my dad too…" Brayden said… quietly. "I get what you mean."

"I hate both my parents, actually," Clover growled. "My mom didn't have to go on that trip." It was true. The trip was optional, but the woman went on it anyway and…

Clover wanted to punch something. She would find that murderer one day. And they would pay for what they did.

...

Clover's friends noticed she had… changed. She wasn't so easy-going anymore. She now carried around some pistol her dad got her (not at school though). She was aggressive and… intimidating. Her brother had gone in the opposite direction: he was much kinder and had a heart of gold. The students wondered what had happened to the siblings, but neither of them would talk about anything.

Then… something happened.

"End of this one school day, I was waiting outside the school for my brother to show up," Clover said. She frowned. "But… nobody came."

The eighth human tensed up.

...

"Cody?" Clover called out, heading back into the school. She raced through the halls, calling out her brother's name. She asked anyone that passed by if they'd seen her brother.

They all said no.

"Cody!" Clover yelled, going to the courtyard. She was feeling more panic now. Where could he be? He wasn't in any of his regular places…

"Clover?" a voice asked. It wasn't Cody. It was one of Clover's friends. "What're you looking for?"

"What do you think?" Clover growled, giving him a harsh glare.

"Whoa, chill," the student said, waving his hands. "I saw your brother by the back fence a little while ago. I think he's still there."

Clover nodded and raced over to said location. There were a lot of plants surrounding the fence. Clover shoved past them, keeping an eye out for her brother. 

Her family.

...

"Oh no…" Faye looked down. "I think something sad is going to happen…"

"Does Cody die?!" Brayden asked. Everyone gave him a really? look. Brayden realised what he said. "... oh."

Clover made a face. "No, he doesn't die, obviously." She gritted her teeth. "But what did happen was pretty bad."

Clover heard voices coming from somewhere nearby. She made her way over to that area, adjusting her cowboy hat.

"You know you deserve this."

"But… it was ages ago… I'm sorry, I… I've changed!"

"You're just wearing some dumb apron."

Apron…

Clover bared her teeth. She picked up speed.

"No, really, I…"

"Stay over there."

"Hey!" Clover yelled. A bunch of children were surrounding her brother, backed up against the fence. Most of them looked very angry. One kid was holding Cody back by his arms.

"Let him go." Clover demanded, glaring at the kids.

"Clover…" Cody stared at her.

"Oh, look, it's your sister," the kid holding Cody laughed. "About time she showed up. But what's she gonna do?"

"I said let my brother go." Clover repeated.

"No way," the kid replied, glaring at her. "He deserves this."

"Why?" Clover asked, tilting her head.

"He used to tease us for wearing weird stuff," the kid snapped. "Now it's his turn!"

"No," Clover growled, narrowing her eyes. "Do you really wanna stoop down to his level? Even further, maybe?"

"You don't know anything," the kid growled, walking over to Clover. "You and your stupid family."

"I'll tell ya one last time," Clover warned, anger boiling inside her. "Get away from my brother."

"What are you gonna do if I don't?" the kid asked, curling his lip.

Clover walked over to the kid, staring into his eyes. She punched him in the cheek. Hard. He stumbled back, holding said cheek, which was now red. He stood up and lunged for Clover. She defended herself, but hurt her arm. The kid then caught her off guard and punched her in the nose. Blood ran out of it. A large audience had gathered around the fight. They screamed and cheered.

Clover held her fist back, prepared to punch the kid again. However, he caught her fist in his palm. So the girl kicked him in the…

"CLOVER LUCKGREEN AND HENRY BAKESMITH!" a teacher yelled. She intervened and pulled the children apart. They landed on the ground. "You two are to come to my office at once!"

...

"And so…" Clover frowned. "We both got expelled."

"WHOA!" Brayden clapped. "THAT WAS AWESOME!"

"No it wasn't…" Cody shook his head.

"Then what happened next?" Melody asked.

"Welp, my bro and I had to go to a new school," Clover said. "Which… ended up being the school we go to now." She paused. "It's a shame that kid at our old school is cousins with that douchebag at our new school. He pretty much hates me." She shrugged. "But I hate him too. We're even."

...

"No way you're ever gonna beat me in a fight, Luckgreen!" the kid jeered at Clover, hanging with his gang. "You may've got my cousin but you'll never beat me!"

"Yeah, sure," Clover replied, deciding she definitely needed to take self-defense classes. "Just don't go near my bro."

"He's a loser, why would I want to?" the kid asked. Clover turned around and gave him the stink-eye.

"Don't call him that," she grumbled. "Coward."

...

"Soon, Cody and I met y'all," Clover said, smiling at her friends. "And it's been like that ever since."

Faye was giving Clover an interesting look. That reminded Clover of something…

The kids didn't meet Faye until Brayden bumped into her in the locker area. He introduced her to everyone else… and she joined the friendship group. But Clover remembered Faye telling her something interesting…

...

"Clover…" Faye sat down next to the brunette. They were in a secluded area. "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure, Faye." Clover said, smiling at the blonde.

"You know… about Mt. Ebott, right…?" Faye asked. "And… how a child climbed up and disappeared there a long time ago…?"

"I've… heard of that…" Clover replied, tapping her chin. "But it's just a story, right?"

"I don't know," Faye shrugged. "But… once... I wanted to climb up that mountain. I… I was sad… and upset… and my parents were… and still are… in hospital." She sniffled, looking away. "But… then Brayden came to the school, and… I decided to stay so I could see him again." She paused. "Though I was too scared for a while so I waited around… and only now I'm actually talking to him..."

"Aww Faye," Clover put her arm around Faye's shoulders. At least your parents are still alive. "Don't worry. You've got all of us now."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you, Clover," Faye said, smiling at her. Her blue eyes were wet. "Melody and Brayden say you're kinda mean… but I don't think so. I think… I think deep down… you're really nice."

Clover blushed, adjusting her hat. "Thanks Faye." She gave the blonde a noogie.

"There's something else, too…" Faye said timidly. Her smile had an edge to it. "I think… I think we all may climb up that mountain one day."

"Really…?" Clover asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Faye responded. "And I have a feeling…"

...

Clover couldn't remember Faye's last words. But now she was curious about the soul of Patience. She seemed to know… a little too much, I'd say.

"... I remember when Brayden and I… reunited," Faye said, grinning at her best friend.

"OH YEAH!" Brayden cheered. He pulled the blonde in for a headlock. "That was the BEST DAY EVER! I think that's the longest amount of time I've ever hugged someone!"

"Hee hee." Faye giggled, her head forced against Brayden's chest. The Fayeden shippers were squealing in the background. The eighth human was sitting calmly, their legs folded. They gave Clover a glance. Clover was about to say something when Alphys appeared.

"The elevator's fixed…!" she said cheerfully.

"FINALLY!" Brayden yelled, standing up. The others stood up as well. They walked over to the elevator. Clover smirked.

Finally. Their journey was about to meet its peak.

It was just an elevator ride to Asgore's…

"Wait, what about that lie you were keepin' from us?" Clover asked, giving the yellow monster a look. Alphys flushed.

"Eh… heh…" Alphys chuckled, sweat-beading. "Heh…. heh…."

"JUST TELL US ALREADY!" Brayden yelled.

"Guys…" Alphys sighed, looking down in disappointment. "You can't pass the barrier unless you all absorb a monster soul each… and there is only one boss monster, ASGORE… a-and… you can't shatter the barrier… unless your souls are outside of your bodies." She frowned. "I'm sorry."

"We... we're not gonna go home...?" Melody asked, choking up with tears.

"Oh no," Percy replied, furrowing his brow. "We're just stuck here for eternity unless another boss monster stumbles along. What else can I say?" He looked away, hiding his face.

"NO WAY!" Brayden grumbled, baring his teeth. "THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO!"

"Only one of us can leave..." Clover mumbled. She gazed at the eighth human. "And to do that, we have to kill someone..." She pouted. "This ain't fair. No one gets a happy ending."

The eighth human had an interesting look on their face, like they realised something. Clover, for a second, swore she heard them say a single word:

RESET

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the last chapter with stupid humor in it for a while. It's going to get a lot more serious after this.
> 
> Lmater Skmaters~


	32. The Fallen Angel Pt.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go. Things are certainly changing...
> 
> In other news, it's my birthday on Tuesday (April 17)! Hooray! *throws confetti everywhere* One year closer to death, am I right? ;)
> 
> As well as that, I have to go back to school on Monday... *cries* And I have a YouTube channel now! My channel name is iHateFridays :P (with the emoji). I may or may not be uploading something Grouptale related there, hue hue. ;)

~Frisk~

If Frisk was honest with themself, they only had one talent. And that talent was acting.

Frisk had played the part of many different people. They had been everything from a teenage girl to a young male toddler. They had learned how to sword fight, dance, shoot, punch and everything else. They knew the Underground so well, even if they were still blind they would easily be able to get through it with just their bare hands. And said hands would be tied behind their back.

Frisk sometimes wished they were still blind. They sometimes wished they didn't have all those talents and that fancy form they took when powering up. So much sacrifice they put themself through to achieve that. So many timelines. So much pain. They weren't even sure if it was worth it…

Frisk's general personality was quite the opposite of the one they were wearing now. They were outgoing, friendly, encouraging and your typical 'good kid'. And they talked. Talked quite a lot. Frisk almost wished they had introduced themself to their friends properly. The humans would get to know the friendly and loving Frisk rather than the quiet and mysterious 'eighth human'.

But Frisk couldn't let the others know their true identity. Frisk knew that sometimes Chara would slip through the cracks and speak to the others. They already had. And Chara had said some unkind things about Frisk. Chara was desperate to build their army. So they tried to get everyone on their side. They used the argument of Frisk's genocide to change their minds, as well as the fact that Frisk was…

But Chara's plan wouldn't be effective if the kids didn't know who Frisk was. Cody had come close. But Frisk had shut him down.

Lying...

That was Frisk's only other true talent.

Yet Frisk knew they weren't lying when they thought about the other humans. They were fond of them. They protected and guided them not only to enjoy themself in this… possibly final timeline, Frisk also deeply cared about them and every aspect of their death upset Frisk. Frisk, like Brayden, had some kind of feelings for Faye. Frisk knew in another timeline that they and her had become… very close friends. But… no matter what, Faye would always choose Brayden over them.

Frisk was determined, but they were also a love expert. They could see Fayeden would be a better pairing than Frayesk. So they would let Faye and Brayden be together… though sometimes, they couldn't help themself by occasionally flirting with Faye. They were desperate to find love. They hadn't had any luck.

Yet.

Frisk was currently walking ahead of the others, their head slightly bowed. They had heard what the others had said about family and going home. The thought depressed them. Frisk wasn't sure if the others would get to see their families ever again. The children couldn't even shatter the barrier unless they all died. As for Frisk's own family…

The child didn't want to talk about their family. It just made them sad.

Frisk saved at a SAVE point. They were glad they were using their own determination, rather than the player's or Chara's. The player…

The kids walked past a city full of grey buildings. Frisk had seen this city countless times so they had no interest in it. The other kids, however, were fascinated.

"How pretty…" Faye admired the many buildings. She sounded upset.

"I guess this is it, y'all," Clover remarked. "We're nearly at the end." Her tone wasn't positive.

"Yeah...?" Brayden said, lightly punching the air with a nervous smile. Even he couldn't be cheerful.

"Already?" Melody asked. She sounded… melancholic. "It… went fast, didn't it?"

"Yeah," Cody nodded. "It did."

No one could really be happy when the truth was that they were stuck.

Frisk continued walking, the others following. Frisk was nervous. Time had flown by. They didn't want it to be over yet. They weren't ready to say goodbye.

[A/N: Play Undertale (the song). No seriously do it. Acapelling it will make this all seem stupid.]

The kids approached Asgore's house. It was completely grey, like the rest of the city. Frisk saved once more, filling themself with determination.

"It looks like Toriel's home…" Faye commented. She smiled sadly. "I miss Toriel."

Melody squeezed Faye's shoulder. "We all do, Faye. But… who knows, maybe we'll see her again one day. Don't worry. Okay?"

"Okay…" Faye replied. The kids entered the house. Aside from Frisk and Faye, since Faye gently held Frisk back. It seemed she wanted to talk to them about something.

"Hey…" she stared at them. "Be honest with me… do you…" She paused. "Do you deep down… think it was a good idea I didn't stay in the RUINS with Toriel?"

Frisk paused for a moment. They responded with a friendly smile and a nod.

The journey would just not be the same without all the fallen humans.

"Thank you," Faye replied, smiling. She played with her hair. "You... y-you're… my second best friend after Brayden. There… are some things I can tell you that I can't tell him… if you know what I mean."

Frisk nodded.

"Oh… I'm sorry, I'm taking up all your time," Faye blushed. "We should go inside."

The duo entered the grey home. The only coloured object was a vase of golden flowers. A stairway was leading somewhere, but the access was blocked by a chain with padlocks.

"According to this letter, the keys for these padlocks are in the kitchen and the hallway." Percy said, scanning a note on the chain. "It also states that Asgore is in the garden."

"Let's find those keys, then." Clover said. The kids headed to the kitchen, which was to the left. They first passed a sitting room. It was so similar to Toriel's house… aside from being grey. Faye looked emotional once more. Frisk patted her shoulder. She gave them another smile. Frisk had seen this house so many times, yet even they got emotional.

Perhaps because this might be the last time...

Suddenly, the kids encountered some Froggits.

"A long time ago, a human fell into the RUINS," one of them said.

"Injured by its fall, the human called out for help." the other said.

"They're talking about Chara, right?" Clover asked Frisk. They nodded.

"They fell into the RUINS…" Percy said. "The RUINS was the first home, wasn't it?" He looked at Frisk. They nodded.

The kids entered the kitchen. In the fridge were tons of unopened containers of snails. White fur was stuck in the drain. A green key was sitting on the desk. Frisk picked it up and put it on their phone's keychain.

"Howdy!" Percy read another note. "Help yourself to anything you want."

"Well, you can't say Asgore's not polite." Melody shrugged. She sighed. "If only he knew the truth about Chara…"

Frisk flinched.

The kids headed to the hallway to get the second key. On the way, they ran into two Whimsuns.

"ASRIEL," the first whimsun said, "The king's son, heard the human's call."

"He brought the human back to the castle." the other added.

"Asriel…" Cody mumbled. "That's… that's their..." He shook his head in confusion.

Frisk gave him a look.

How much did he know?

The kids entered a small, grey kids' bedroom. There were two presents sitting on the floor… and a note. Percy picked up the note.

"Watch my tape…" he read the note. He tilted his head.

"Tape?" Clover asked in confusion. Percy shrugged.

"Look at this drawing…" Faye said, pointing at an illustration on the wall. There was a drawing of a golden flower… and an angel. The Fallen Angel.

Frisk tensed up.

"The prophecy," Faye read writing on the illustration. "I will return. And I will destroy them. Etiam in morte, superest amor." She paused. "What does that mean…?"

"That's Latin," Percy said, looking at Faye. "I don't know what it translates to, but I know it's Latin."

"Who's this 'them'?" Clover asked. Her expression darkened. "Us...?" She stared at Frisk, who refused to answer.

"Well, if C-Chara thinks they can destroy us, t-they're wrong!" Brayden said, holding up his fist. He sounded... almost nervous. "We-we're unstoppable!"

"Are you okay, Brayden...?" Melody asked, staring at him with concern. She could see through his facade. She had known him for so long.

"I'm fine!" Brayden responded. "I'M NOT SCARED! I NEVER WAS!"

Frisk made a face. They stared at Brayden for a moment, before looking away once more. Their heart ached.

Frisk looked inside the other present. In there was a worn dagger. What Frisk expected. They pocketed the dagger, giving a glance at the ceiling. They knew Chara was watching them. But Frisk refused to be judged by them. Chara was not entering this world. Frisk was sure of that.

Yet their heart kept aching...

"Best Friends Forever." Cody pulled a heart locket out of the first present. He stared at it. "This… this must've belonged to Chara and Asriel."

Frisk took the locket out of Cody's hands and put it on themself. They held the dagger in their left hand. The realisation of the ending hit them again...

A tear came out of one of their eyes.

"Overtime, ASRIEL and the human became like siblings," a moldsmal said.

"The King and Queen treated the human child as their own." another continued.

"The Underground was full of hope." the third said.

"Asriel… the human…" Cody's eyes widened. He stepped back. "That human in the Void… that couldn't have been…"

Frisk picked up the next key off the desk and put it on their keychain. They forced themself to focus.

Their heart kept aching...

"Chara and Asriel…" Cody looked at Frisk. "They were best friends, right?"

Frisk nodded.

"Oh…" Cody stiffened. "I… I see."

"Are you okay, Cody?" Melody asked the boy, giving him a glance.

"I'm… fine." Cody replied, his voice stuttering.

No one was okay. Frisk knew that. They weren't okay either.

The kids entered Asgore's bedroom. They explored the small and cosy room, which contained a large bed, a Nose-Nuzzling trophy, golden flowers in a vase, a Santa Claus costume in a cupboard, and… a hand-knitted, pink sweater that said, 'Mr. Dad Guy'.

"Aww," Faye observed the sweater. "I think Chara made this…"

"Chara must've cared about these guys…" Clover said. She gazed at some macaroni art of a flower on the wall. "Monsters were… their family."

"Then why are they so determined to destroy the world?" Percy asked. "If they're so compassionate?"

Frisk frowned.

The kids unlocked the chain to the stairs. They headed down. On the way, they ran into two Migosps.

"Then… one day…" one said.

"The human became very ill." the other said.

The kids continued walking. Vegetoids approached them and continued the story.

"The sick human had only one request," the vegetoids said. "To see the flowers from their village. But there was nothing we could do."

"Chara…" Cody mumbled.

"How did they become sick?" Percy asked. Frisk handed him a buttercup. Percy stared at it. He made a subtle gasp of realisation, dropping the flower. "Buttercup poisoning…"

"They killed themself." Faye said quietly. "They killed themself by eating buttercups."

"What?!" Brayden asked. "WHY?!"

"They wanted to die, didn't they?" Percy asked Frisk, holding out his notebook. "They killed themself on purpose so they could be revived now and gain much greater power."

Frisk nodded solemnly. Chara also died so Asriel could absorb their soul, pass the Barrier and gather six human souls to shatter the Barrier…

But both Chara and Frisk knew that plan would fail.

"The next day..." a group of Looxs said. "The next day. The human died."

"ASRIEL, wracked with grief, absorbed the human's soul," Snowdrakes said. "He transformed into a being with incredible power."

"With the human SOUL, Asriel crossed through the Barrier," Ice Caps said. "He carried the human's body into the sunset. Back to the village of the humans."

"This story won't have a happy ending…" Faye said.

"No," Melody frowned. "I don't think it will."

"ASRIEL reached the center of the village," Woshuas continued. "There, he found a bed of golden flowers. He carried the human onto it."

"Suddenly, screams rang out," Shyrens said. "The villagers saw ASRIEL holding the human's body. They thought he had killed the child."

The kids walked past more grey buildings, thinking about that story…

Cody was terrified about something. Frisk wondered what.

Chara...?

"The humans attacked him with everything they had," a group of dummies continued. "He was struck with blow after blow. ASRIEL had the power to destroy them all."

"So why DIDN'T HE?!" Brayden asked, tensing up.

"I don't think he could…" Cody answered. He had a sad smile on his face. "I wouldn't be able to."

"But…" Knight Knight said, slamming her podium on the ground.

"ASRIEL did not fight back." Madjick added.

"Clutching the human…" Knight Knight said.

"Asriel smiled and walked away." Madjick concluded.

"Wounded, ASRIEL stumbled home," Final Froggits said. "He entered the castle and collapsed. His dust spread across the garden."

"But…" a group of Whimsalots continued. "Suddenly, the human appeared in ghost form. They foretold of a prophecy. A prophecy that would save monsterkind."

"The human said that when seven humans had fallen down, they would use the power of their souls and return," Astigmatisms said. "And with that power, the human would shatter the barrier."

"So the King declared that every human that fell down here must die." Moldsmal said.

"Yet no humans have fallen down," Whimsun said. "Not even one. Until now."

"Now…" Misgosp continued. "Finally. The Fallen Angel will rise, and we will be free at last."

The humans glanced at each other.

"You should be smiling, too." Pyrope added.

"Aren't you excited?" Vulkins asked. "Aren't you happy?"

"I'm scared…" Faye responded.

"Me too." Melody admitted, hugging herself.

"WELL, I'M NOT!" Brayden yelled, sweat-beading. Frisk could tell. He was lying.

They were scared too.

"You're going to be free." Froggit concluded. Its voice changed to a child's voice, but it was hard to decipher the gender. Frisk tensed up.

Chara's voice.

"That voice…" Cody looked anxious. "I know that voice… that kid in the Void… that's their voice."

"Kid in the Void?" Clover turned towards her brother, her brow raised in concern.

"I… that kid…" Cody's face paled. "That was… that was Chara… I was… I was talking to Chara…"

"You were talking to Chara?" Clover's stare hardened.

"Yeah, but… I didn't know it was them!" Cody replied.

"How did you not know it was them? We've seen their appearance," Percy replied. "They look like the nameless one." He gestured at Frisk.

"I thought they were some altered version of the stick kid," Cody replied. "They were grey… so it was hard to tell."

"That's another reason why going into the Void was a bad idea," Clover growled. "Chara's messing with you! And I told you not to go there again anyway!"

"Guys, come on!" Cody pouted. His voice cracked. "Chara was helpful… a-and kind! They saved my life! And… without them, I might not be here." He made a face. "What if… what if Chara's not as bad as we think they are? What if they're just sad and lonely? What if instead of fighting them... we can help them? We did it for the monsters, right?"

Frisk's face was indescribable. Chara was actually getting someone on their side. Frisk couldn't let that happen. If it did… their plan wouldn't work.

"I hate to say it, but to be fair…" Clover paused. She took her hat off, holding it to her chest. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

"Yes," Percy nodded in agreement. "If there is anything this journey has taught me, it is that."

"Then… maybe… we should give Chara another chance…" Melody's face brightened up. Frisk had seen… when they were singing with her, that she had a more… melancholic and sensitive side. They guessed it was showing now.

No wonder she had been able to tolerate Percy and Brayden at the same time.

"So, we're gonna kick Chara's butt in the nice way?" Brayden asked. He grinned. "Y-YEAH! M-MERCY FIGHTERS ARE BACK!"

Frisk froze. They… they couldn't let this happen… they couldn't let Chara win…

If they did… they would just suffer more.

Frisk noticed something in the corner of their eye. It seemed to be a man...

The man that speaks in hands.

Cody seemed to notice him as well. His eyes widened in horror.

"But he should be..." Cody cried, tears coming out of his eyes.

"Why're you crying, bro?" Clover asked him, giving him a tight hug.

"He... he's not supposed to be... alive..." Cody sniffled into his sister's shoulder.

"Huh...?" Clover asked, looking confused.

Frisk choked up. They could barely breathe. The man, with glowing eyes, sent them a message in Wingdings. Frisk had learned some Wingdings from all the times they had tried to SAVE Gaster in other timelines, so they translated the message...

"I WILL BE BACK." the message read. Frisk fell to their knees, stress making their heart race. They forced themself not to panic.

Not in this timeline. Usually Frisk would want Gaster to return but here... he could ruin everything...

Chara knew this. They had to.

"Are you okay?" Melody asked Frisk with great concern, placing a hand on their shoulder.

Frisk frowned, brushing their hair out of their face. They stood up and pulled out their sword. Chara was going to have to try a little harder than that.

Frisk would not let Chara win. They promised that to themself. And they knew how to convince everyone who was the real villain.

The eighth human pulled out a SAVE point, everyone watching them with interest.

Frisk knew it was time...

Time to tell the story of the REAL Fallen Angel.


	33. The Fallen Angel Pt.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this chapter killed me...
> 
> Anyway, so I had a pretty sweet birthday. :P Jet-Narrowwasher on DeviantART drew some amazing fanart of Faye, the picture is actually my fanfiction.net profile picture if you want to check it out. XD JN is awesome so please check her out on her DeviantART, as well as her account on fanfiction.net! (Links will be on my fanfiction.net profile - ponystoriesandothers)
> 
> As well as that, I may as well promote my YOUTUBE channel again: iHateFridays :P (with the emoji). I'm gonna upload some trash on there heh heh~
> 
> My buddy Jinx198 (also on fanfiction.net) also has a YouTube channel (THANKS FOR STEALING MY IDEA) that you should also check out. (Same username) His channel is probably going to be better than mine so... :P XD
> 
> Bonne lecture!

~Chara~

Chara never thought they would come to appreciate a group of humans. Chara, usually, couldn't stand other members of their own species. Especially Frisk.

But… after following the group around, Chara could see… that some humans weren't so bad. These humans reminded Chara of… other humans they used to know.

Chara remembered the times they had managed to physically appear in front of the humans. When they spoke to Percy and Cody… and when they appeared in Snowdin Forest, and Frisk chased after them… and then Frisk almost killed themself and Brayden. And the time in Waterfall, when Chara appeared in a puddle below Frisk's feet.

And at the very beginning, just before everyone fell Underground…

Chara pictured the scene near MTT Resort. They were floating nearby the bridge, gazing at Frisk. Frisk was watching them on the edge of said bridge. Frisk seemed like they were going to jump off and grab Chara, once again almost killing themself in the process. Thank goodness for Clover.

"Frisk is concealing their identity," Chara mumbled, watching the group through a window. They scoffed. "I should've realised it sooner. I am not surprised by their cowardice."

A voice gurgled behind them. It belonged to a man that was slowly melting away. Gaster. Chara glared at him.

"Not even you can change anything," Chara responded. "You are non-existent. And the world functions perfectly without you, does it not?"

They had a sad smile on their face.

"Yet… you could still exist," Chara added. "But… this timeline is messed up enough already. Do you think we want you there as well, causing mishaps?"

Gaster replied with a wave of his hands. Chara frowned.

"Frisk and I are not mishaps," they replied. "We are just at each other's throats. We're both here for our own reasons. Reasons that relate yet oppose each other."

Gaster glitched.

Chara smiled, their expression darkening. "Lying is lovely, isn't it? Our determination can mould so much. Look what it did to Percy. With some of my assistance… he became something powerful that saved his friends. Look what it did to Frisk. Look what it did to you." Chara stared at Gaster, a glimmer in their eye. "You almost came back."

Gaster stared at Chara. They looked away.

"All the timelines Frisk and I have seen, never have we been to one like this," they said. "Everyone is here. Frisk. The fallen humans. Me. You. Asriel…" They looked down. "Ha ha. What a shame… what a shame it's all going to waste."

Gaster made a noise.

"How did this all happen…?" Chara stared at Gaster. "You know it is a story that is known as 'Firstale'. The story of how Frisk got their powers. Why the both of us are here now. It's not so much of an 'AU' as it is a story of our past."

Chara smiled, brushing off the melancholy. "But now… I am only here for one reason. To SAVE the world."

They looked through the mirror into ASGORE's home. They could see Frisk watching them. Chara's smile widened.

Despite everything, it's still you.

"Frisk…" they said darkly. "Don't worry. I promise I will kill you."

Frisk's eyes widened. They choked up. They pulled out their sword and shattered the mirror. They could still hear Chara's voice ringing in their ears.

Chara seemed to like that. They then skipped ahead to when Frisk was entering the Void with the other humans. Chara smirked.

Finally, the truth would be revealed.

"What is this place?" Clover asked, the kids following Frisk. The red-souled human kept their head down, walking in a straight line. There was just darkness surrounding them. No light. Cody shivered.

"It's like the Void…" he said. "Just like the Void."

"Yeah." Faye agreed, her smile almost creepy.

"Hey, who's that?" Brayden pointed ahead. Standing there was another Chara and Frisk facing each other. Chara looked angry about something, while Frisk appeared to be upset.

"Is that… you and Chara?" Melody asked Frisk. They nodded, biting their lip and holding their breath.

"This... must be a memory of some sort, yes?" Percy asked Frisk. They nodded once more.

"A memory of you two…" Clover raised her brow. "Alright. Let's see what you got."

"You think you're doing something heroic?" Chara asked past Frisk angrily. "You really think you're saving the world?"

Past Frisk looked away for a brief moment, before looking back with a grin. They nodded confidently.

"You really are an idiot." Chara growled.

Past Frisk glanced at Chara. They were still smiling.

"You want me to join you in being a selfish idiot?" Chara asked, scowling at past Frisk. "Never."

Past Frisk approached Chara, confidence in their every step. They held out their hand, a kind look in their eyes.

Chara stared at the outstretched hand for a moment, before abruptly shoving it away.

"I will NEVER help you," they growled. "Go to Hell." They stormed off, leaving behind a sad Frisk. That Frisk looked down in despair as the memory faded. Current Frisk wore the same expression.

"Oh my…" Melody frowned. "How rude."

"Not much of a listener…" Faye said.

"I guess... you already tried talking to Chara, then," Clover scowled, eyeing Frisk. "They're not really… listening."

"They're stubborn." Percy added.

Frisk nodded with a sad sigh.

"I… I think Chara's just upset about something…" Cody looked downcast. He stared at Frisk. "You… you said they have… personal reasons about why they want to destroy the world, right?"

Frisk nodded, faintly gritting their teeth. They felt energy building in their palm. They were starting to lose their patience. Chara had corrupted this boy's mind. Why else would he be willing to give them so many chances?

"I think… I think we can still help them," Cody replied, smiling. "I know it sounds crazy, but-"

Frisk turned around and pointed their sword at Cody's throat, their glare harsh. Their breathing became heavy. Cody stumbled back in fright. Clover immediately stood protectively in front of him, returning Frisk's glare. The two stared at each other for a few moments, before Frisk's sword dissipated. The eighth human fell to their knees, covering their face with their hands.

Had they really lost control?

"Cody!" Melody shrieked. She stared at Frisk with horror. "What… what's wrong with you?"

Frisk looked down. Clover wouldn't let go of her brother. She was giving Frisk her death glare.

"I think... in their own way, they're saying Chara can't be trusted…" Faye spoke up quietly. She glanced at Cody.

"I… I guess… so…" he mumbled into his sister's shoulder, sounding like he was traumatized. Frisk stared at their hands. They felt horribly guilty.

Faye gave them a small smile and patted their shoulder. Frisk returned it with a nod. At least she was nice to them.

Chara was watching Frisk from a corner. Frisk ignored their creepy smile, telling themself it was just a silhouette.

"You're no better than me," Chara laughed, their eyes and grin melting. "You MONSTER."

Frisk glared at them.

"This is the real story," Chara smiled. "The story of the Fallen Angel."

Frisk's vision was consumed with white.

Chara and Asriel were sitting on a bed of golden flowers. Asriel laughed, putting a flower crown on his head.

"Now I look like a real prince!" he said brightly.

"One more," Chara said. They picked a flower and put it under Asriel's ear. They nodded with satisfaction. "There we go. Now you are a prince."

Asriel giggled. "Thanks, Chara."

"Mmm." Chara replied. They looked down, a sad expression on their face.

"Chara?" Asriel tilted his head, noticing their expression. "What's wrong?"

Chara smiled. They stared at the golden flower they were holding. Memories flashed through their head...

...

Asriel was holding Chara's body. He was walking through the village, humans glaring at him with fear in their eyes…

The monster was hit with blow after blow. Chara could hear screams all around them. But Asriel did not fight back.

"Asriel!" Chara yelled. "You have to fight back!" A tear almost escaped their eye. "You'll die if you don't!"

Yet Asriel refused.

"Chara… I'm sorry…" he said. "I… I can't hurt them…"

"A… Asriel…!" Chara breathed.

…

Chara shook their head, stopping those thoughts. They were back to the present. Asriel was alive.

At least for now.

"Chara?" Asriel asked, waving his hand in front of Chara's face.

"Hmm?" Chara blinked and looked at him. They thought of their plan. Somehow, they felt prepared.

"You zoned out," Asriel told them. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Chara responded. They put the golden flower on the ground and stood up. They walked away with shaky steps. They were not really prepared.

They were afraid.

Chara snuck out of the castle, looking for something. They eventually found it. The laboratory. The laboratory where Flowey would later be created. Where determination would be harvested and the Amalgamates would be born.

But Chara didn't care about any of that. They were looking for something different. They snuck through the lab. They could almost see their reflection on the shiny walls and floor. They skimmed through the rooms, until they found the right one. Making sure no one was there, they entered.

It was a small room full of building supplies, blueprints on a table, papers scattered around, and a pile of lab coats. Chara walked over to the blueprints and skimmed through them. Nothing new. Then they found a notebook full of research.

Perfect.

"Human SOULS," Chara opened the notebook, seeing the first page. They read through it. "There are different types of human souls and they vary in strength. Most human souls are a mix or a toned-down version of one of the seven primary traits. For example, a soul of Patience may not always be patient, they could also be kind or brave.

"However, there are also some souls that almost/constantly exhibit one of the seven primary traits. These souls are known as 'pure souls'. They are very rare. Usually only seven of these souls will exist at a time, one for every trait. And typically, they are most likely to be found all together."

Chara put the book down for a moment. "The fallen humans… m-must be pure souls then." Their eyes widened. They continued reading.

"The pure souls usually have much more powerful souls than regular humans. They are able to withstand having powers, unlike regular humans. Very rarely, a pure soul will be born with powers. But mostly, the powers must be earned or given by a greater force of power."

Chara looked thoughtful. "Given…" They made a face. "Hmm."

They kept reading. "The human with the most DETERMINATION is able to save. This power can belong to any of the SOULS, but usually it will fall to a human with a red soul. The true nature of a red soul is unknown, but it is believed to be a mix of all the soul traits..."

Chara frowned. It was true - not much was known about their soul trait.

Chara flipped to another page. This was a chapter about timelines.

"There are many different timelines, especially for a single universe," Chara read. "This timeline will have timelines about it with different endings, beginnings and middles. Some timelines will be mixed together, and others will be corrupted. This timeline and all others mentioned most likely belong to a universe - a setting where similar events and similar characters appear. Most likely it will be known as an Alternate Universe (also known as an AU) - as it is a stem off the primary product."

Chara frowned. They already knew all that. They skipped to another page.

"Most characters stay in the universe they were born in, but a few do not have a particular timeline they live in," Chara read. "They jump from timeline to timeline, for a variety of reasons - no sense of belonging, looking for something, or just plain enjoyment." They frowned. "None of our reasons."

They read on. "Occasionally, one of these people may want to take someone's place in a universe, rather than live as themself. This is possible if they remove that person from the timeline and insert themself into the universe. However, sometimes this does not work and the one who inserted themself into the universe does not have much time in said universe. If this is the case, they must hurry to bring the original person back to the universe and then leave, unless they wish to become corrupted.

NOTE: If the original person and the new person live in the same timeline, yet the new one has somehow taken the place of the old one, the new one must leave after a certain period of time or the original and themself will become corrupted."

Chara frowned. Frisk and themself were from another timeline. They had inserted themselves into this timeline, just like the book said. A different Frisk and Chara were originally here, but the other two had to remove them so they could take their places. Chara felt a little bad. But they were here for a reason.

To SAVE the world.

Suddenly, Chara heard footsteps. They stood up, the book tucked under their arm. Panic raced through them. There were no windows or any other means of convenient escape.

So the child elected to hide behind a bunch of wooden planks.

Chara ducked, keeping their head low as someone entered the room. They held their breath, almost daring themself to see who was in the room. But they were not that stupid.

They heard mumbling nearby them. It sounded cross. A drop of sweat rolled down Chara's cheek. The footsteps were getting closer to them. The child felt their heart rate increase.

But thankfully for them… the footsteps turned around and left. Chara heard the door close, and the footsteps echo down the hallway. They let out a breath of relief. They stood up, grinning at the book. It was full of useful information. They would definitely be keeping it.

Chara snuck out of the room, entering the hallway, when a voice asked nearby them, "Leaving so soon?"

Chara nearly jumped out of their skin. They stared at the one who asked the question. It was the Royal Scientist.

"Uh… I…" they didn't know what to say. The scientist was intimidating them.

"You're that human child, are you not?" he asked, staring at Chara. They frowned at 'human'.

"Y-yes," they replied.

"What are you doing down here?" the scientist asked. He stared at the book Chara was holding. "Stealing my books?" He frowned. "How did you even get down here? You are not someone I'd expect to know this lab exists."

"I…" Chara paused. They got an idea. They smirked, putting on their creepy smile. "I know about a lot of things. A lot more than you think I know."

"Do you?" the scientist tilted his head. Chara's smile widened.

"Yes," they replied. They took a step towards the scientist. "And I bet you would love to find out everything I know. Such as…" They chuckled. "Trust me. I am the last human monsterkind will be seeing for quite a while."

"Hmm?" the scientist looked confused.

"No more humans will fall down after me for a long time," Chara responded. "A very, very long time."

"How do you know that?" the scientist asked. His eyes widened. "Wh… who are you?"

"I am the Fallen Human, and the Angel of the Prophecy," Chara replied. "You are just a monster." They walked away, the scientist staring at them. Chara smiled. They did enjoy messing with people… on occasion. Plus, it helped them escape from bad situations. They prided themself on that. And they got to keep the book as well.

A smirk appeared on the child's face. They walked away.

"There are two parts to a human soul:

The DETERMINATION and the spirit (the personality). Without the spirit, DETERMINATION is merely itself. The spirit is similar to a ghost without DETERMINATION, but it cannot be seen by anyone, unless there is a lot of determination nearby. A human soul is not a human soul unless the two are together. They can be split, but the chances of this occurring are incredibly rare."

"Huh," Chara made a face. They flipped the page. "A spirit can return to a regular human soul if they receive determination. With enough determination, a spirit can form a physical body made out of this determination. This power, however, requires at least some determination from seven DIFFERENT human souls (and in some circumstances, the souls themselves can be used - in this case, the spirit will become god-like). This type of human has great power… they also do not require basic human necessities, such as eating. However, if they are away from their sources of determination, their body will be destroyed."

"Hmm," Chara flipped through a few more pages. "Some human souls are born with no determination - the only way they can get it is from another human. (NOTE: This is very rare.) However, this means the other human can control them (to a high/low degree, depending on the human/s). Other times… humans can use other power sources… such as HATE or Fear, which both have consequences…"

Chara frowned. They swore Frisk said something about HATE once, did they not…?

"Hey Chara," Asriel peeked his head into the room. He was wielding some golden flowers. "I have the buttercups."

Chara smiled. "Excellent."

Asriel was stumbling home, still holding Chara's body. His soul was cracking. Chara was staring at him. They had nothing to say. They only smiled.

Asriel walked to the bed of golden flowers, the favourite place of the best friends. Toriel and Asgore saw this and stared at it with horror.

"I… I'm sorry…" Asriel smiled. He collapsed, turning into dust. Chara felt themself being pulled away from their determination. They were used to this feeling. But this time, they refused. They would not give in. Chara held onto their determination for a few more brief moments. They had a message to deliver.

Chara floated upwards, on the verge of collapsing.

"It's not over yet!" they yelled, their soul glowing. Asgore and Toriel stared at them, their eyes widening. "With the determination of seven human souls, I will return. I will shatter the barrier and bring monsters justice. The Fallen Angel will rise!"

And with that, Chara lost their determination. And their world disappeared. The child smiled.

I'll be back, they thought. I promise.

Frisk was lying on the floor, their hand over their heart. The kids had returned to the area outside the Judgement Hall. They were all watching Frisk with worry. The child with the red soul sat up, shaking their head. What had they just seen…?

"They're okay…!" Faye said brightly.

"Hey!" Cody said. He kneeled down next to Frisk and gave them a tight hug. They gently patted his shoulder in response. "Are you okay?"

Frisk nodded, leaning back and gazing at him. Their eye felt strange…

"I'm… really sorry about what I said…" Cody apologized, bowing his head. "I didn't realise it made you upset."

Frisk waved it off with a small apologetic smile of their own.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS TO STOP GOING TO SLEEP ON ME!?" Brayden complained, waving his arms in the air.

"You're one of the heaviest sleepers I've ever met, Brayden." Percy told Brayden. Brayden glared at Percy, putting his fist in his palm.

"Well," Melody glared at both boys. "I'm just glad they're okay." She helped Frisk stand up. They nodded gratefully at her.

"I guess we're ready to go on?" Clover asked, folding her arms. "We've got a bit of butt to kick."

"HECK YEAH!" Brayden yelled, punching the air. Frisk took a deep breath. They ignored Chara's voice in their head. But their skin prickled at the thought of themself (and possibly Chara) disappearing because they were from another timeline… that wouldn't happen, right?

Frisk frowned. Chara was safe. But Frisk wasn't so sure about themself...

Frisk glanced at their palm, feeling a searing pain in their eye. They had a feeling that they were in for a bad time.


	34. Megalomaniac

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Things get a bit violent in this chapter.
> 
> And expect some fanart for it as well. ;)

~Frisk~

The kids walked through the Judgement Hall, pale lighting shimmering against the golden pillars. The windows were decorated with pictures of the Fallen Angel. Two statues of the Fallen Angel were nearby the exit of the hall. Gold glimmered all around them.

"How pretty…" Faye admired the windows. Frisk had to admit, even though they had seen this hall countless times, they could still admire its beauty.

"Does anyone else have a bad feelin' 'bout all of this?" Clover asked, folding her arms.

"No way!" Brayden responded, holding up a shaky fist. "Because wh-whatever comes at us, we can t-take it!"

Frisk simply smiled.

Percy clenched tightly onto his notebook. Even tighter than before. Melody hugged herself, and Cody held up his pan. Brayden was twitching. Clover had her head down, her hand on her pistol. Faye had a melancholic look in her eyes. Frisk walked ahead of everyone, keeping their head high. They had to stay confident and determined. They couldn't afford to be weak.

"Sans…" Faye spoke up quietly, pointing at a silhouette ahead. Sans' silhouette. Bells chimed. Frisk stood in front of their friends. It was time.

Time for judgement.

"So you finally made it," Sans said. He sounded... different. "The end of your journey is at hand. In a few moments, you will all meet the king. Together… you will determine the future of this world."

Yet, Frisk wasn't afraid. They had stopped their friends from murdering any monsters. The kids would only receive good judgement. Yet Frisk knew, if the world was destroyed, it didn't really matter what route they took. But Frisk wanted a pacifist route. Their favourite. They wanted to be happy for one last time…

"That's then." Sans said. "Now." He paused. "You will be judged. You children will be judged for your every action. You will be judged for every EXP you've earned, both as individuals and a group."

"EXP…?" Cody asked.

"Experience Points." Clover answered. A faint smile was on her face.

"Similar," Sans replied. "It stands for 'Execution Points'. A way of quantifying the pain you have inflicted on others. When you kill someone, your EXP increases. When you have enough EXP, your LOVE increases. LOVE, too, is an acronym. It stands for 'Level of Violence'. A way of measuring someone's capacity to hurt. The more you kill, the easier it becomes to distance yourself. The more you distance yourself, the less you will hurt. The more easily you can bring yourself to hurt others."

"This world…" Clover looked inquisitive. "It's just like a video game. Everything from killing to 'level up', eatin' and healin', weapons… HP, Gold… Determination…" she paused. "And we're the players."

"We are the ones who will decide the fate of the whole world," Percy concluded. "That's the job of the player."

Frisk tensed up. Player. SAVE points. Determination. This really was some kind of video game.

But Frisk had never been a player. They had only been a puppet.

"And you… you can save and load, can't ya?" Clover asked Frisk, her arms folded. "Since this is all just like a video game."

Frisk nodded slowly.

"heh…" Sans stared at the children. "there's no player in this timeline, kids. and if there was… there's only one player." He shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. The kids glanced at each other. "anyway… you kids." A faint smile was on his face. "you never gained any LOVE. 'course, that doesn't mean you're all completely innocent or naive." He gazed at Clover for a moment, then at Faye. "just that you all keep a certain tenderness in your hearts. no matter the struggles or hardships you faced… you strived to do the right thing. you kids refused to hurt anyone. even when you ran away, you all did it with smiles. you never gained LOVE, but you gained love. does that make sense?"

"No, 'c-cause I don't r-run away!" Brayden argued, gritting his teeth.

"Love and LOVE can be very... similar, sometimes," Faye said. Her tone was slightly creepy. "Love and war go together very well."

"..." Sans looked down for a moment. "now. you all are about to face the greatest challenge of your entire journey. your actions here… will determine the fate of the entire world. if you refuse to fight… asgore will take your souls, raise the fallen angel, and they will destroy humanity. but if you kill asgore… only one of you will be able to leave. the rest of you will be stuck down here to perish. either way, there's no real happy ending. but i believe… if you think about it… there is something you can do. a plan you can make. a plan that can satisfy everyone. don't ask me what this plan is, i don't know. it's your jobs to figure it out. don't ask me for advice, either. if i were you kids, i would have thrown in the towel by now. but you didn't get this far by giving up. this is your mission. your journey."

Sans paused. "your choice."

"A plan…" the kids stared at each other.

"that applies to all of you… except for one." Sans held up a hand. "a little birdie told me… one of you isn't like the others. they said that this human… isn't here for any good reasons. they said this human is the enemy, not the fallen angel like you kids think."

"Which 'little birdie'?" Clover asked. She gritted her teeth. "The same one that told you about me?" Her scowl deepened. "Do you really think you can trust them?"

"they had plenty of proof to show me," Sans chuckled. Frisk had a tickling sensation of who this 'little birdie' was. Rage made their skin prickle. "and i can see now… who the real villain is."

"What are you talking about?" Melody asked. "Sure, Brayden's kind of annoying-"

"HEY!" Brayden yelled.

Melody ignored him. "-Percy has his own problems, Faye almost killed someone, Cody's too nice and Clover's too mean, and me… well, I've let a lot of people down. I'm… not really sure about the stick-wielding child. Point is, we've all made mistakes. Doesn't mean we're evil or bad people, does it?"

"that's not what i was saying," Sans responded. His voice darkened. "you kids really are oblivious." Suddenly, a wall of large bones shot up, separating Frisk from the other humans. The eighth human was by themself, standing face to face with Sans. The children on the other side attempted to break through the bone barrier by brute force, but every time they did they got hurt.

Brayden ran forward, holding his fist out. He almost broke his hand trying to punch the bones. Clover pulled out her gun and fired at the bones, but even that didn't work.

"heya." Sans stared at Frisk, his face darkened. Frisk lowered their head, keeping their eyes out of sight. This was not what they expected.

They felt their heart rate increase.

"you've been busy, huh?" Sans asked them. Frisk didn't move. "... so, i've got a question for ya. do you think even the worst person can change? that everybody, can be a good person if they just try?"

"P-PUT THESE BONES DOWN RIGHT NOW SO I CAN SAVE THEM AND BEAT THE CRAP OUTTA YOU!" Brayden yelled at Sans, holding up his fists.

"Please don't hurt them!" Cody pleaded, staring at Sans.

"I don't want this to get messy," Clover growled, holding out her gun and glaring at Sans. "Let 'em go."

"Look, maybe this is all a misunderstanding!" Melody waved her hands, trying not to panic.

"I... I don't know what's going on..." Percy breathed heavily.

"heh heh heh heh heh…" Sans laughed, ignoring the children. A faint blue aura appeared around Frisk. "alright. here's a better question." He grabbed Frisk by their soul and pulled them towards him. Their soul turned blue. The kids' protests grew louder. "not a question, actually. a promise. this promise will break another promise i made. but that promise is worth breaking." He paused, gazing at Frisk. "it's a beautiful day outside… birds are singing, flowers are blooming… on days like these, kids like you…" His sockets darkened. "Should be burning in Hell."

[A/N: *sigh* Play Megalovania.]

And with that, Sans raised his hand, slamming Frisk into the wall. However, the child was quick and summoned their sword, repelling themself off the wall. The aura around them turned from blue to red. A red scarf appeared around their neck, as well as a replica of Sans' jacket. A spear came out of their right eye, while their left was covered with hair. Sans raised his hand again, throwing Frisk towards the ceiling. Sharp bones were waiting there for them. Frisk flipped around, slicing the bones away with their sword. They fell back down onto the ground, using their shield as a landing pad so they didn't injure themself.

"YOU FREAKING SKELETON!" Brayden yelled, holding up his fists and glaring at Sans. "WAIT 'TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"

"Now that will be Hell." Clover growled, once again holding up her gun.

"They did nothing wrong!" Cody protested, glaring at Sans. "STOP HURTING THEM! T-THEY'RE MY FRIEND!"

"Oh my God, oh my God…" Percy said, breathing heavily, sweat crawling down his face.

"I-it's gonna be fine, Percy…" Melody said, trying not to cry. "It's okay, please calm down…"

Faye said nothing. She simply watched the battle with a glint in her eyes.

"huh, not bad, kid," Sans commented on Frisk's ability. "guess it helps that you've got yourself some fancy weapons." He made a face. "gonna try and hit me with those?"

Frisk didn't. Instead, they elected to spare Sans.

"heh… fine, play nice." Sans chuckled. "It means I'm allowed to be meaner." Bones approached Frisk. Bones were on the floor and ceiling as well. Frisk, their soul still blue, jumped up, reaching out for a platform. They grabbed onto one, using their sword to help them grip it. A Gaster blaster approached them. Frisk's left eye glowed. Pain coarsed through their right eye. Red spears appeared beside Frisk, not unlike any of Undyne's. The spears soared towards the Gaster blaster, destroying it.

"wow, very creative, kid," Sans deadpanned. "stealing undyne's moves."

Frisk ignored him. They jumped and landed on the ground, summoning more spears to destroy bones around them. When it was their turn, they spared Sans once again.

"i always was suspicious about you," Sans commented, staring at Frisk. "you were different from the others."

More platforms and bones approached Frisk. Frisk felt the ground beneath them rumble. They quickly jumped, narrowly avoiding a bone going straight through them. They launched themself upwards again, getting onto a platform. They jumped from platform to platform, using red spears to destroy any bones that came dangerously close to skewering them. The kids continued yelling at Sans. Even Cody seemed like he wanted to harm the short skeleton.

"whenever i saw your face, that look in your eyes…" Sans looked down, his voice dark. "there was nothing in there. no interest. no empathy or passion. you just looked bored, like you'd seen it all before."

Frisk leaped over more bones. There were even more now, and Frisk's spears alone would not be able to destroy them all. So Frisk summoned one last ounce of power. Their right eye burned with pain. They put a hand on top of it. A red Gaster blaster appeared by Frisk's side.

Sans frowned. "copying me now, huh? very original, kiddo, very original."

Frisk unleashed the power of their Gaster blaster, destroying all the bones around them. They landed on the ground, once again using their shield as a landing pad. The pain in their right eye continued to burn. They felt their sword shiver.

"YOU GOT THIS STICK KID!" Brayden yelled. "SHOW HIM WHO'S BOSS! WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS BONE THING AND HELP YOU SOON ENOUGH!"

"Can't we just talk this out?" Melody asked. She glared at Sans. "Are you even listening to us?!"

Faye continued staring at the bones, a strange look on her face.

"it's not like i don't understand," Sans shrugged at Frisk. "timelines are stopping and restarting all the time. why should i care? i guess you're the same." His sockets went black. "I guess all that slaughtering numbed your empathy."

Frisk raised their hand in sync with Sans. They jumped on top of their Gaster Blaster, just as a wave of bones approached them. Frisk blasted the bones away, holding onto their blaster. The spear in their eye glowed a deeper red. Sans' face darkened. His hand lit up blue. He grabbed Frisk's soul, forcing them to get off the Gaster Blaster. They fell off and rolled across the floor, their blaster disappearing. They got out their shield, defending themself just in time before an array of bones went right through them.

"COME ON!" Brayden yelled at them. "FIGHT BACK, STICK KID!"

Percy continued to panic. Melody made him look away from the fight scene, using soothing words to calm him down.

"Don't let him hurt you, stick kid!" Cody added. He looked away, wiping his eyes. "Please!"

"Do you even understand what you're doin', Sans?" Clover snarled. "They did nothin' wrong! They're innocent! LET 'EM GO!"

"heh heh," Sans had a dark look in his eye. "you kids know nothing about this kid. they're far from innocent. they're a murderer. they want to do horrible things to everyone. they're even worse than you, clover."

Clover's expression darkened.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Cody yelled in protest. "T-they're a good kid! They helped us!"

"Good kid…" Faye agreed, her voice trailing off.

"hmph," Sans ignored him. "you kids know nothing."

Sans grabbed Frisk's soul again, bringing them towards him. The two were eye-level.

"you have nothing inside you," he growled. "you don't care about what happens to anyone. you selfish little brat."

You want me to join you in being a selfish idiot? Never.

Frisk struggled, trying to escape. The skeleton raised his hand, bringing a bone right through the arm that was holding the sword. Frisk's arm was completely destroyed. The sword fell beside them. Frisk wanted to scream. But they held it in, their eyes glowing red. Blood was gushing out of their left armpit, coating their side. It was surrounding them like a red puddle. The other kids were watching Frisk with horror. Now Frisk was glad they had put on a mysterious personality.

If Frisk had worn their more likeable personality, the kids would be so much sadder. And the thought of that hurt Frisk just as much as losing their arm.

Sans picked up the child and threw them into the wall. They barely had the strength to keep their eyes open. The bones went right through them. Frisk felt the pain consume their every thought. Their blood was everywhere.

Frisk wasn't sure what to feel. Angry? Sad? Scared? They didn't feel anything. Just… a strange serenity. But the voices of their friends woke them up. The children were in distress. They couldn't bare to watch Frisk suffer.

"YOU… YOU MONSTER!" Cody yelled, tears coming out of his eyes.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Brayden bellowed at Sans. "I'LL USE YOUR BONES TO… TO COOK MY FOOD!"

"You'll know HELL, Sans, that's for sure," Clover growled in a dark tone, her gun trembling in her grip. "I've given you enough warnings. But you're clearly no good."

"Guys, wait, I have a better idea, rather than just straight up killing Sans," Melody said. She looked up from helping Percy. "Sans seems to think the stick kid is evil for some reason. We should talk to him about why they're not evil. That could get him to stop!"

"Melody!" Cody's face brightened up. "That's a great idea!"

"No it's not," Clover growled. "We're already tryin' that. Sans won't listen to us."

"Then we'll have to break through these bones, somehow, and FORCE him to listen." Melody frowned, staring at the bones.

"BUT WE CAN'T!" Brayden yelled, storming over to Melody.

"Or maybe…" Faye spoke up quietly, a small smirk on her face. "We can."

Frisk would not give up. Their plan would save everyone, and they were not going to let this skeleton stop them. They sat up, just as Sans had a wall of Gaster blasters prepared to destroy them. He unleashed the blasters onto Frisk. They were covered in a wave of power. Power that could tear them apart limb by limb.

But Frisk refused. They held up their good arm, forming a shield that protected them. They felt their soul crack as the blast made impact with their shield, but they kept their head high.

"still going after everything, kid?" Sans asked. "you really are determined, aren't ya?"

Frisk felt rage race through them. They stood up, a red aura burning around them like a flame. Their hair hid their face. Their left arm socket glowed. Their arm grew back, glowing red. However, the sleeve was still missing. Sans stared at them.

Frisk held up their hand and clicked their fingers. Both of their eyes hurt. They almost fell over from the wave of pain. Tons of red spears and Gaster blasters surrounded the eighth human. Their face darkened as they approached Sans, weapons floating beside them. Sans summoned blasters of his own, but Frisk destroyed them with waves of spears, only to summon more spears afterward. Sans almost looked… afraid.

Frisk was unstoppable now.

The kids had nothing to say about this. They simply watched Frisk storm forward, weapons surrounding them.

Sans stepped back, sighing and slumping down. Frisk's eye twitched. Memories flashed through their head…

Sans was lying on the ground, ketchup oozing out of his jacket. The skeleton chuckled sadly.

"papyrus… do you want anything…?" he asked.

"I STILL BELIEVE IN YOU!" Papyrus' voice echoed in Frisk's head. The child trembled, trying not to cry. Even after all this time, those deaths still haunted them. Their weapons dissipated. Frisk fell to their knees, hugging themself. Their breath was shaky. They held in their tears.

Their eyes shot open when Sans grabbed their soul and threw them towards some more sharp bones. Frisk held out their sword, stopping themself from crashing into those bones. They tripped over, still holding onto their sword. They felt the ground rumble beneath them, like there was an earthquake. More bones. Frisk gulped. They raced over to the nearest wall. Using their sword as a pole, they jumped up, reaching the ceiling. They held onto the ceiling with their sword sticking in the wall. They summoned a shield to defend their back.

"you can't stay up there forever," Sans said, bones and Gaster blasters waiting below Frisk. "you're not that patient."

Frisk ignored him. Their grip on their sword grew tighter. Their heart raced. Sans was right. There was no way they could stay up there forever. They thought of their humans friends, who were staring at them with horror. Worry. Concern.

Love.

Frisk felt guilt pang their stomach. The truth was, Frisk knew they deserved every hit Sans gave them. They knew they deserved to die.

What for? As Chara once said, not even Frisk was an angel. Frisk was very far from being one.

Their sword cracked. A tear fell down Frisk's cheek. They had acted and lied for too long. They had lost track of reality.

How long had it been since they were pure?

Frisk's vision went blurry as their sword shattered. Frisk fell downwards, a sad smile on their face. They would die in vain. They deserved it.

Time seemed to slow down. Frisk assumed it was their feelings, but then they realised that time was actually slowing down. They stopped in mid-air, just above Sans and his plethora of attacks. Everything had completely stopped. It was like a picture. Frisk also noticed how everything had turned a pale shade of aqua. Confusion hit them once again.

Suddenly, time resumed and Frisk fell on the ground. They looked up and saw their friends surrounding them protectively. Sans was standing in front of the kids, his hands in his pockets. Frisk raised their brow. How did the kids get past the bones…?

"Stay over there," Clover growled at Sans. "Don't you dare move."

"like i want to," Sans replied. "how'd you kids get past those bones…?"

"We have our ways." Faye winked in response. Sans and Frisk stared at her.

"I actually have no idea how we passed the bones." Brayden admitted, making a face. Melody rolled her eyes.

"Anyway," Melody cleared her throat. "Do you really think hurting this kid is a good idea?" She pointed at Frisk. "Sure, we don't know a lot about them, they're very quiet, a bit weird, flirty, but… they're not a bad kid. They're loyal, friendly, generous, kind, and they've been there to help us the whole journey. I don't know why you're so angry with them, but whatever they did, it couldn't have been that bad, and they don't deserve to die."

"HEY!" Brayden yelled at Sans. "THAT KID IS THE BEST THING SINCE COOKIES AND CREAM MILKSHAKES!" He kneeled down and wrapped his arms around Frisk's neck, pinching their cheeks. "LOOK AT THEIR FACE! IT'S SO… SQUISHY! WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO HARM IT?!" He continued squeezing Frisk's cheeks.

Frisk blushed a deep red. Melody face-palmed.

"But seriously…" Brayden let go of Frisk. "They're a good kid. And a damn good friend." He gave Frisk a thumbs up. They returned it.

"Oh!" Cody sobbed, tears in his eyes. "I know they have a sword and all that, but I know deep down they've got a heart of g-gold! They've been protecting us for the whole journey, helping us… they're the reason we're still here!" He smiled at Frisk. "They're everyone's friend."

Frisk tried not to cry. Their heart was pounding.

"First of all, what's this kid actually done to hurt anyone?" Clover growled at Sans. "They've only helped people far as I can see. And even if they've done some bad stuff… I think they've already served their time. Mostly." She gritted her teeth for a moment. "But they don't deserve to be hurt like this, pardner. This won't stop anything, you understand?"

"you don't understand." Sans grumbled.

"Did you ever meet this kid before they fell down?" Clover asked Sans incredulously.

"no, but i feel like they've known me since way before they came down here," Sans responded. "that birdie… they showed me so much."

"Who's this birdie?" Clover asked. She made a face. "You can tell us."

"they swore me to secrecy," Sans responded. "but i'll give you all a hint: golden flower."

"G-golden flower…" Cody looked scared.

"Golden flower, huh?" Clover asked, raising her brow. "Well, we met a golden flower of our own. He wasn't a very nice fella. Tried to kill us all." She made a face. "He's a manipulative snitch. If that sounds familiar to ya, then maybe someone's telling fibs."

"does sound kinda familiar…" Sans grumbled. "yeah, i remember you kids telling me about some flower. but the one i talked to was incredibly convincing. he even showed me… images from other timelines. told me how he used to be able to 'save and load'." He paused. "he showed me images of that kid." He pointed at Frisk. "they were doing horrible things in those images. murder. betrayal. and planning something even more horrible for this timeline."

"Chara is the one who has something horrible planned for this timeline, not the nameless one," Percy pointed out. "The nameless one is here to stop them." He had a small smile on his face. "Their friendship proved that to me."

Frisk's blush grew.

"Flowey was lying to you, Sans," Faye told the skeleton. "He lies to everyone…"

Sans looked down. "i didn't find that flower trustworthy either, but the evidence was so realistic."

"That's what tricksters like him do," Faye shrugged. "They trick people." She looked at Frisk. "And I know from the bottom of my heart that this kid isn't bad... at all. They're different, but in a good way. They're my second best friend. They stopped me from dying and killing someone… if anything, they're the real Fallen Angel. They're patient, brave, kind, honourable… determined. They're a hero."

Frisk blushed as red as their soul. They had never been complimented so much before.

"you kids really care about this one, huh?" Sans asked. He chuckled. "i guess they really aren't so bad after all."

"They're a special kid," Clover said, nodding at Frisk. "I'd say they're our leader."

"YEAH!" Brayden agreed. "THE BEST LEADER YOU'VE EVER SEEN!"

Frisk couldn't stop blushing. Tears streamed down their cheeks. They felt so horrible and so guilty at the same time. They cried into their palms, breathing heavily. Cody sniffled and started crying too. He sat down next to Frisk and hugged them. They hugged him back.

"Is that a tear, Brayden?" Clover asked Brayden, raising her brow with a smirk.

"N-NO!" Brayden growled, hiding his face. "I-I DON'T CRY!"

Faye joined the little group huddle on the floor. The others sat around the outside, eventually joining in on the huddle (aside from Percy, who wasn't a fan of huddles). Sans chuckled, watching the gaggle of children.

"kids," he chuckled. "they're adorable."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't wanna spoil anything, but you haven't seen anything yet if you think this chapter's intense. ;)


	35. Reminisce

~Frisk~

The kids left the Judgement Hall, walking past some grey brick walls. Frisk held their head down, hiding the tears in their eyes. They felt guilty. So guilty. Yet so touched at the same time.

"That darn flower…" Clover growled. "If I EVER see him again…"

"Flowey seems to know a lot about you," Faye said, giving Frisk a glance. Frisk nodded, looking away. Flowey and Frisk knew each other very well. Neither of them liked that fact.

"You two got some kind of history?" Clover asked Frisk. They nodded again, grievously.

"Well, no wonder you tried to protect us from him," Melody said. "You knew the truth."

"Sans said something about timelines," Percy frowned. He gazed at his notebook. "So… is Sans like you and Flowey? Knowledgeable about the 'true nature' of this world?"

Frisk nodded, wringing their hands together.

"That usually doesn't happen in a video game," Clover pointed out. "This, uh…" She clicked her fingers, trying to remember the phrase.

"Breaking the fourth wall?" Percy suggested.

"Yeah, that." Clover nodded at him. She frowned, then stared at Frisk. "So. ASGORE's right through there?" She pointed at an archway. A sign was next to it.

"Throne Room," Percy read the sign. "I believe it is, yes."

"We shouldn't be excited," Melody sighed. "From what it looks like, we're stuck down here forever…"

"Hey! NOT YET!" Brayden stared at her. "Sans said we could make a plan or somethin'!"

"I'm tryna do that myself, right now." Clover frowned, massaging her temples.

"I'll, um, t-take notes for you if you want." Percy offered, staring at Clover. "I-In case, you, um, u-uh, w-want - um, uh, need - n-n-no, want-"

"That would be great, Perce." Clover interrupted, grinning at Percy.

"O-okay Cody - I mean Clody, I-I mean Clover!" Percy responded, breathing heavily. Frisk raised their brow at Percy's stuttering. A faint smirk appeared on their face. They walked over to Clover and gave her a nod.

"You wanna help too?" she asked. "Awesome."

"This planning crap is SO BORING!" Brayden groaned. "WE SHOULD MAKE A BATTLE PLAN!"

"We can't make a battle plan without actually planning, Brayden." Percy pointed out. Brayden growled.

"I would rather just walk around…" Faye sighed quietly. "I want to enjoy… just being alive for… these last few moments." She bowed her head. "Maybe I'll get some ideas on the way…"

"I'LL GO WITH YOU!" Brayden jumped up, walking over to Faye. She faintly blushed.

"You two really wanna miss out on this?" Clover asked them incredulously.

"I need some time to think about my ideas." Faye replied.

"AND I ALREADY HAVE MINE!" Brayden cheered. "BEATING THE CRAP OUTTA ASGORE!"

"Alright, fair enough." Clover shrugged. She glanced at her brother and Melody. "What about you two?"

"I'll stay here." Melody said, glancing at her hands. Cody made a face.

"I… I just wanna walk around by myself for a bit." he admitted shakily, standing up. Clover narrowed her eyes.

"Come on sis, it's not like there's anything that can hurt me here." Cody pointed out. Clover's expression darkened. Cody pouted.

"Just let him go, Clover," Melody sighed. "He's not in any danger. And if he is, I have a feeling he can look after himself."

"Anytime he's left alone, he gets in trouble." Clover growled.

"I'm not going far…" Cody grumbled. He glowered. "I'll be fine, Clover. I'll be around this place." He gazed at his pan, his tone almost dark. "I'm not breaking any promises."

"... fine." Clover sighed. "Go. And stay out of trouble."

Cody walked out of sight. Clover gritted her teeth. Faye and Brayden also left, leaving just the four kids. They sat down in front of the Throne Room.

"Right." Clover cracked her knuckles. She nodded at Percy. He hastily opened his notebook. "Give me the lowdown, Perce."

"U-uh, yes m-ma'am." Percy said, gazing at his notes.

"You don't have to call me that." Clover told Percy, raising her brow.

"Oh, um, s-sorry," Percy stuttered. He took a deep breath, holding up his notes. "The Barrier requires seven human souls to shatter it, but we have to be dead in order for that to happen. Chara needs seven human souls to raise them from the dead, so they can destroy the world. They are relying on Asgore for that - in other words, waiting for him to kill us. Asgore is the only boss monster, so only one person will be able to pass the barrier if they absorb his soul."

"Alright," Clover said, tapping her chin. "So it seems we're pretty screwed no matter what we do."

"Unless there is something we can do, as Sans mentioned," Percy replied. "One of us kills Asgore, he, she or they pass the barrier and gather help from the surface to save the rest of us. Chara can't take our souls unless we are all dead, so we cannot die under any circumstances. We must defeat Asgore unless we want the world to be destroyed."

"We can't just talk to him…?" Melody asked.

"No," Percy replied. "Unless we want to remain trapped down here. Killing Asgore is our only hope of escape. And that applies to monsters too. If one of us passes the barrier, they can gather seven souls of previously deceased humans from the surface, and with those, they can shatter the barrier."

"I see your point," Melody shrugged at Percy. "It seems to be the right thing to do here..."

Clover folded her arms. "Sounds like a plan, but I wanna hear everyone else's opinions." She turned to Frisk. "Whaddya think, pardner?"

Frisk gave Clover a thumbs up. They were more than willing to kill Asgore. He was another obstacle in their way…

"I'mma find Brayden and Faye and talk to them about this," Clover said, standing up. Frisk stood up as well, giving Clover a glance. She gave them a nod. "Yeah, thanks kiddo. But don't you dare threaten him again." Her voice was cold. Frisk gave her another thumbs up and walked off.

"Percy and I will stay here then." Melody said. Her best friend put his notebook away. "Good luck, Clover."

"Well, I am pretty lucky." Clover winked at Percy. He blushed. The girl adjusted her hat and walked off as well. Percy and Melody were left behind. The two stared at each other for a moment.

"Well…" Melody sighed. "We're almost home… if we don't die, which I do hope we don't."

"The possibility isn't impossible." Percy responded. He hid his face. "But I hope it doesn't happen either."

A silence passed between the two friends.

"Are you okay, Percy?" Melody asked him. "You're acting a little nervous recently. More nervous than usual."

"..." Percy looked down. His breathing picked up. He trembled, putting his face into his palms.

"Oh, P-Percy!" Melody exclaimed with concern. She gently patted his shoulder. He continued trembling.

"M-Melody, what am I gonna do if you die?" Percy panicked. "You've been my only friand - friend - for so long and if I lose you I'll have nobody t-there for me sense - since - you're the only one w-w-who doesn't think I-I'm weird or stupid you actually c-c-care about me and you put u-u-up with my r-rambles about manga and anome - a-anime - and I don't know what I'll do if y-y-you're not there…"

"Percy…" Melody smiled comfortingly at her best friend. "I'm very proud of you. You've grown up a lot since I first met you. Look at you now. You can share your emotions with me. You're bonding with the others. You and Brayden are becoming friends. Clover seems to like you a lot. Look at you and Alphys! You two are getting on great. Even Undyne likes you. And it'll only get better from here!"

"That's only because of you." Percy replied. He took off his glasses, staring Melody straight in the eyes, which usually he struggled to do. "Without you, I wouldn't be here right now. I'd be lonely and no one would care about me. No one."

"Your parents always wanted you to have a special friend," Melody said. "Someone who could 'get' you since they couldn't. I ended up being that friend." She paused. "Sometimes, I didn't like hanging around you. I wanted to play with other people. But I knew that I needed to make sure you felt like you always had someone there for you, someone that cared about you. Like you were 'valued'." She laughed gently. "You're not a very social person, I know. But I wanted to be there to teach you and show you how to have friends to rely on so you'd be more willing to accept others without feeling left out. Does that make sense?"

Percy looked up, tears in his eyes. He had a genuine smile on his face. "Yes it does." He wiped his eyes, his voice quiet. "Melody… if w-we make it back home… then you don't have to b-be my friend anymore. If that's w-what makes you happy... then it will make me happy t-too."

Melody's eyes filled up with tears. She smiled at Percy. "Being friends with you and the others is what makes me happy, Percy."

Percy's grin grew. He held out his arms, trying to keep eye contact with Melody. "Do you want to give me a hug, signifying our friendship?"

"Yes, Percy," Melody laughed gently. "I would very much like to give you a hug, signifying our friendship."

Percy awkwardly tried to wrap his arms around Melody's sides. Melody sighed. She leaned forward and embraced the boy. He stiffened up at first, but gradually hugged her back. They both cried.

"Melody," Percy sniffled. "T-thank you for being my best friend."

"You're welcome, Percy," Melody smiled. "Thank you for being mine too."

Brayden and Faye were walking through ASGORE's home once again. Brayden kept running forward, but turned back every few seconds to make sure Faye was following him. She was walking slowly, but she stayed behind him. Brayden eventually walked at her pace.

"Hey," he said, giving her a smile. "You okay about all of this? Like, y'know, Asgore, Chara, all that stuff?"

Faye looked down, wringing her hands together. "I'm not sure…"

"Well, I'm feeling pretty UNBEATABLE," Brayden grinned, flexing his arm. "True men NEVER get scared!"

"Sometimes, the greatest form of strength a man can have is showing weakness." Faye replied.

Brayden didn't respond to that. He looked away for a brief moment, before looking back.

"Faye," he said. "Y'know, back when we weren't hanging out at school… I really missed you. Those bullies were kinda cool I guess - BEFORE I KNEW THEY WERE BULLIES - but you… you were, like, the one I missed and all that. I, like, wanted to see you again, y'know? If that doesn't sound weird or something."

"It doesn't sound weird…" Faye replied, faintly blushing. She smiled at her friend. "It sounds really sweet. And… I missed you too, Brayden."

Brayden's face was flushed. He cleared his throat. "You think we're gonna get outta here alive? I bet we will."

Faye paused. She nodded, her tone optimistic. "If you think we will… then I suppose I do too."

Brayden grinned. "Told ya you should stay with us! You're like, way happier now!"

"Yeah…" Faye blushed. "You… made me feel better. Thanks, Brayden."

"Don't mention it!" Brayden gave Faye a thumbs up. "It's what best friends do!"

Faye's blush grew. She looked down, her voice shaky. "I'm still a little scared though. I… I don't want anyone to die…"

Brayden grabbed Faye's hand and squeezed it. Faye blushed. Brayden was staring at her. "No one's gonna die on MY watch. So don't be scared. Yeah?"

"Yeah." Faye replied, squeezing Brayden's hand back. The two stared into each other's eyes. Both were blushing.

"Well well well," a voice chuckled, eyeing the both of them. Flowey appeared, a malicious grin on his face. "Isn't this just adorable?"

"HEY!" Brayden yelled. "IT'S YOU!" He held up his fist. "GET OUTTA HERE BEFORE I BEAT YOU UP!"

"Calm down, you hyper brat," Flowey growled, his face darkening. It returned to a smile. "I've actually got a little something to tell you about your girlfriend there."

"W-WHAT?" Brayden asked, blushing. Faye hid her face. "F-FAYE'S NOT MY-" He shook his head, glaring at Flowey. "ARE YOU GONNA INSULT HER AGAIN?! DON'T YOU DARE!"

"Insult her?" Flowey asked. "Oh no. I'm here to tell you some things you may find… interesting." His tone was manipulative. "For example, your girlfriend is a straight up LIAR. She's been hiding things from everyone, even you. Her best friend. She knows a lot more about the world than you would think she does. But she doesn't tell anyone. She keeps her private information to herself, and only gives away details that will make others have a certain opinion of her. Usually positive. Then when the time's right, she'll take advantage of your trust and use you for her own personal needs."

"W-WHAT?" Brayden growled. He stared at Faye, who flinched. "THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S TRUE! FAYE'S THE BEST!"

Faye's lip trembled. She didn't say anything.

"See that guilty look in her eyes, kiddo?" Flowey asked menacingly. "You know she's playing games with you."

"NO WAY!" Brayden yelled. Yet he couldn't help falling to his knees with shock.

"You don't know anything about her," Flowey added. "But she knows everything about you."

"FAYE!" Brayden walked over to his friend and shook her shoulders. She kept her head down. "SAY SOMETHING!"

Brayden panted heavily, glaring at Faye. She still didn't speak. Brayden gritted his teeth with frustration, clenching his fists. He looked like he wanted to punch something.

"There's nothing for her to say," Flowey chuckled. "Because she knows I'm right."

"NO YOU'RE NOT!" Brayden bellowed. "YOU'RE THE LIAR!"

Brayden ran over to Flowey, holding out his fist. He attempted to punch the flower, but he disappeared beneath the floorboards.

"Hee hee hee," Flowey's laugh echoed through the halls. "You really think you can beat me?"

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Brayden bellowed. "WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?"

"Brayden, look out!" Faye squeaked, holding out her hand. Brayden looked around, but it was too late. A vine went through his chest. He fell to his knees, his face expressing pure horror. Blood was everywhere.

"B-Brayden…" Faye yelped, gazing at her best friend, her eyes full of tears. She looked up and realised Flowey was surrounding her with vines. There was no escape. Faye hugged herself.

"Don't worry," he chuckled darkly, staring at the girl. "You'll be joining him."

Suddenly, a bullet went through Flowey's stem. The flower dropped all his vines, coming down to the ground.

"Not today, you cheatin' vermin." Clover growled, holding up her gun. "Step away from them right now unless you want to know Hell."

"Ooh, I'm so scared!" Flowey put on a mocking tone. His expression was twisted. "You idiots. You may've got me this time, but I'll be back. And you'll be the ones getting Hell."

He disappeared beneath the floorboards. Clover glared at the spot where he had been, before running over to Faye.

"You okay, Faye?" she asked Faye. Faye shrugged, holding her head down. Clover glanced at Brayden. Her breath grew shaky. "Oh, G… God. D-Damnit. I'm not much of a doctor." She stood up, tapping her foot in frustration. She removed her bandanna and handed it to Faye. "Use that as a bandage or something. And your own bandages as well. Just look after him. I'll get my bro and the stick kid." She raced off, calling out for her brother and Frisk.

Faye wiped away some of her tears, observing Clover's bandanna. She wrapped it around Brayden's middle, sniffling quietly. She gazed at his soul. It was covered in cracks.

"Not now, not now…" Faye cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Not now! NOT… NOW…!" She put a few bandages on the wound, praying that they would do anything to help her friend. She continued sobbing.

"This is all my fault…" she cried. "All my fault…"

Frisk chewed on a Nice Cream bar they stole from another timeline. Frisk often stole things from themself in other timelines, including GOLD, so they always had a limited supply. That meant they could eat food for pleasure rather than just to heal themself. And they could use the food to heal their friends as well.

Frisk found Cody sitting in a room with Chara's coffin. Alongside their coffin were seven other unused coffins. Cody looked contemplative about something. He was eyeing Chara's coffin, which was covered in golden flowers. A red soul was painted on top of it.

Frisk sat down next to Cody, finishing their Nice Cream. The two of them sat in silence for a moment, gazing at Chara's coffin. Cody finally spoke.

"... Chara really was a bad person?" he said, looking at Frisk. Frisk paused for a moment. They shrugged.

"I just don't want to believe they're bad…" Cody sighed. "I talked to them and they seemed pretty nice, actually." He frowned. "My sister says I'm too nice to people… I guess she's right."

Frisk gave Cody a smile. He returned it. Then his expression grew curious.

"You know about Gaster, right?" he asked them. Frisk nodded hesitantly. Cody pursed his lips. "And… how he's… supposed to be dead. I saw him die with my o-own eyes. But then… I saw him again before… alive." He looked at Frisk. "M-maybe it was just a vision, I… I don't know…"

Frisk patted his shoulder. They had a comforting glance in their eyes.

"Yeah, it was probably just a vision…" he sighed. His smile became melancholic. "I… really am sorry about what I said to you. I didn't want to hurt your feelings… I just wanted to give Chara another chance."

Frisk shook it off. They weren't mad at Cody. They were mad at Chara for being so manipulative. And at themself…

Suddenly, in the corner of their eye, Frisk saw something. They twitched, their palm glowing red. They knew what it was. Anger flared up inside them. They couldn't let this disrupt their plans anymore.

Frisk stood up, their face shrouded in shadows. Cody glanced at them.

"Are you okay?" he asked them, also beginning to stand up. Frisk gave him a cold stare. He sat back down again. "O… okay, I'll stay here."

Frisk walked off. Determination was pulsing through them. They exited the room, their sword forming in their palm. Cody saw the red glow reflecting against the walls. Concern and curiosity raced through him. He couldn't help himself. He stood up, discreetly following the child. At the end of the hall, something was waiting for Frisk. Cody saw it and his heart nearly stopped. He covered his mouth in case Frisk heard him.

It was Gaster.

He had returned.


	36. Mini-ish chapter: Remember

~Frisk~

Frisk's sword glowed. They held it up, glaring at the melting man. Was Chara behind this? Frisk knew both Chara and themself didn't want Gaster to appear in this timeline, but what if… Chara had convinced him to be on their side? Frisk felt uneasy. That wasn't something they wanted. Through him, Chara could access powers to all timelines and…

Frisk took a step towards Gaster, someone who they had once tried to save. They had tried everything, but to no avail. And now he was staring them in the face, as an enemy. Someone they had to destroy.

Frisk ran forward, holding out their sword. Their heart was racing. Their eyes glowed.

A giant hand appeared above Frisk. The child summoned their shield. They held it up, protecting themself. Goop appeared near Frisk's feet. They stepped back, their face darkened. They noticed there was no escape all around them. Gaster had glitched the path back to the Throne Room and Chara's coffin, so they couldn't run away. But Frisk didn't want to run away anyway. They had a monster to kill.

Frisk jumped over the goop and held up their hand. Their eyes burned with pain once more. Red spears appeared beside their sides. When Gaster approached them, Frisk unleashed the spears, forcing him backward. He glitched, melting once more.

Frisk made two Gaster blasters appear. They glared at the man that spoke in hands. Cody hadn't killed him before. Of course he hadn't. In the Void, Gaster was already dead. He was an illusion of his living self. But Cody didn't know that. Yet, Frisk did. And they were not afraid to kill Gaster now.

Gaster had been brought into the real world by… something. Frisk glanced at their hands. It had to be Chara.

Or was it themself…?

Frisk didn't care right now. Their only priority was removing him. Gaster made his own blasters appear. Frisk and him stared each other in the eyes. The blasts were unleashed, clashing in mid-air. Gaster's face was melting and Frisk's heart was pounding. Their determination pushed them forward. But Gaster summoned more and more Gaster blasters, and the power was too overwhelming. It sent the child sailing across the floor. They bashed their skull into the wall. Their soul cracked. They could barely move.

Goop appeared all around Frisk. Gaster was towering above them. Frisk felt rage race through them. They got up, slicing their sword across Gaster's body. He shuddered, allowing Frisk time to heal. Frisk ate some food. Their wounds closed up, yet their eyes continued to burn. They summoned more spears, throwing them at Gaster. He teleported out of the way. He appeared behind Frisk. He closed down on them. Their vision went black. The pain was burning them from every part of their body. They felt their skin being peeled off and their limbs melting…

But once again, they refused.

Frisk shoved their way out of the Hell Gaster had forced them into. Their skin was burning. Their clothes had been even more ruined. Yet their determination was even more prominent. Their sword glowed in their grasp. They saw the man in the corner of their eye. They turned around and began racing towards him. He had a Gaster blaster prepared. Frisk pulled out their shield, defending themself from being blasted.

A giant hand grabbed Frisk and threw them into the wall. Gaster, using a giant hand, smashed the child into the ground. Their soul was shaking and their HP was lowering. Frisk reached for food, but Gaster destroyed it with a blaster. Frisk felt themself shiver. Blood was everywhere.

Frisk, with another burst of determination, sliced the hand in half with their sword, only to get shoved into the wall by another hand. They hit it face-first.

And their world stopped turning.

Their nose was bloody and their spine was bent. The child's breathing was scarce and tight. They held in the pain, unable to move. A tear slipped down their red cheek.

Gaster was approaching them from behind. Frisk weakly clenched their fist which glowed red. A spear formed above it. As soon as Gaster got close, Frisk threw the spear. But it did not hit Gaster.

It hit Cody.

Cody had stood in front of Gaster to protect him, despite everything he'd done to harm Frisk. Cody couldn't bare to watch Gaster 'die' again.

So there Cody was, a spear through his stomach. He fell to his knees, blood covering his knees. Frisk stared at him with horror.

"I… I'm sorry…" Cody breathed. Frisk's eyes filled up with tears. "I… I couldn't watch him die again…"

But Frisk refused.

They pulled out their SAVE file. They didn't want to do this, but they had no choice.

They RESET.

Frisk woke up in a dark place, Cody next to them. Frisk glanced at him, before giving him a tight hug. He hugged them back with a smile.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized repeatedly. "I just couldn't bare to…" He looked up, and both he and Frisk realised Gaster was there.

"Watch me die, hmm, child?" Gaster asked.

"Y-you can talk…?" Cody asked. He stood up and stared at Gaster, who was around a head taller than Papyrus. He seemed to be a skeleton, still with the same cracked skull, but was no longer melting.

"Not previously, but now, I can," Gaster replied. He pointed at Frisk. "This one has just reset, and since I glitched the timeline, it reset me back to a stage where I wasn't so… well, unresponsive. It also brought you two here once more."

Frisk was giving Gaster the stink eye. He scowled at them.

"You know what you did, child," he told them sternly. "Don't act like you didn't deserve it."

Frisk gritted their teeth.

"Huh?" Cody asked, confused. "Did Flowey talk to you too...?" He stared at Gaster.

"No," Gaster responded. "I simply know much more about the truth." He paused, and gazed at Cody. "You, however. You are a different matter altogether."

"What do you mean?" Cody asked. Frisk continued glaring at Gaster.

"I have an offer that you will certainly enjoy," Gaster replied. "Join me in the Void, Cody. You will not only see Chara again, but you will gain great powers. You will gain powers great enough to shatter the barrier and save your friends."

"Powers to shatter the barrier…" Cody's face brightened up. "Without killing anyone?"

"Certainly not." Gaster replied. "It's exactly what you desire, boy."

Frisk was shaking their head in the background, but Cody wasn't focused on them.

"There is, however, one sacrifice you must make," Gaster said. "Although you will be able to save your friends, you will not be allowed to return to them. You will stay with me in the Void for eternity."

"O… oh," Cody said, looking down. He glanced at his hands, then at Gaster. The eighth human stepped in front of Cody, frantically shaking their head and hands.

"I know, I know…" Cody sighed. He made a face. "But… Gaster has a point. This could save everyone."

Frisk frowned.

"Ignore them," Gaster said. "Think of how you can save your friends, and the powers you will gain. And you will get to visit timelines and meet others. You can start a new life, and your sister cannot control you one bit. Finally, you will gain the independence you most certainly deserve. Is that not what you want?" He held out his hand.

Frisk continued shaking their head. Cody gulped. He wiped his eyes and stepped forward. He had made his choice. No going back.

"Okay," he said. "I… I'll join you." He reached out for Gaster's hand. Cody was twitching, yet a smile was on his face. It was worth it.

Suddenly, a red spear went through Gaster's middle. The monster glitched, melting and disappearing. Frisk grabbed Cody's arm and pulled him away from the melting monster. Cody gasped in horror, his breathing picking up.

"W… what was THAT for?!" he asked Frisk angrily, shoving them off him. They almost fell over. They managed to keep themself upright and stare Cody in the eyes. They waved their arms around, an enraged expression on their face.

"R… really?" Cody asked, shocked and outraged. He hugged himself. "Why is everyone so untrustworthy...?" His voice grew strained. "WHY?! Why does everyone I care about have to be so HORRIBLE?!" He weeped into his hands. Frisk squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.

"I… I wanna go home," he mumbled, trembling. "I want to see my mom again. I wish I could reset like you could. I'd bring her back."

Frisk continued squeezing his shoulder.

"How did you know…?" Cody turned around and stared at Frisk. His voice was quiet. "How did you know he was lying to me?"

Frisk made a face. Their expression was dark.

"... oh." Cody said. He wiped away his tears. "I see." He sighed. "Let's just get out of here. Please."

Cody and Frisk were sitting in front of Chara's coffin again. They stared at each other, insanely relieved. That's when Clover burst in, a panicked expression on her face.

"There you two are," she growled. "Hurry up. We got a major emergency."

"Huh?" Cody asked. Clover grabbed his and Frisk's arms and led them out of the room. They returned to ASGORE's home, where Cody and Frisk saw Brayden and Faye. Brayden was still bleeding and Faye was weeping. Cody gasped with horror, before running over to the injured boy, Frisk following him.

Cody went through his inventory, finding food. He removed his apron and wrapped it around Brayden's middle, before propping the boy against the wall. Cody's food glowed green as he forced the dozy Brayden to eat it.

"Wow bro, you should become a doctor." Clover told her brother, raising her brow. Cody smiled gratefully at her. Brayden coughed and opened his orange eyes.

"Who's becoming a doctor…?" he asked.

"Brayden!" Faye yelped, giving her best friend a massive hug. He weakly returned the hug, coughing.

"Hey Faye," he said, his voice raspy. "Didn't know you could hug like that." He scratched his head. "What happened…? I remember something yellow…"

"Flowey." Clover growled through gritted teeth.

"But Cody made you all better, so it's okay…" Faye said calmly.

"Oh, yeah, thanks Cody," Brayden grinned at Cody. Cody blushed. "I'd give you a noogie… but right now, all I wanna do is sleep."

"What on Earth happened here?!" Melody shirked, Percy behind her. She stared at Brayden, and her eyes widened. "BRAYDEN! Are you okay?!"

"Yeah, just sleepy…" Brayden replied, closing his eyes for a moment.

"He got attacked by Flowey." Clover told Melody. Melody gasped, covering her mouth.

"Oh my goodness…" she breathed heavily. She kneeled next to Brayden and gave him a hug as well. He weakly returned it. Percy kept a blank slate face on, stepping away from the others.

"Yeah, but I'm okay," Brayden said, giving Melody a grin. "Just… tired."

"I know, Brayden, I know." Melody sighed. She smiled back. "I'm tired as well."

"We should all have a nap then," Clover said. "Get us ready to meet Asgore."

"But where?" Percy asked. "We don't want Asgore to find us sleeping in his house."

"Let's sleep outside," Cody suggested. "Near Chara's coffin."

"Chara's got a coffin?" Clover asked. Cody nodded solemnly. Frisk gave him a thumbs up.

"Bit of an odd place, but alright," Clover shrugged. "Let's sleep there."

The kids gathered in the hall nearby Chara's coffin. They stayed nearby each other, slowly drifting to sleep. Unfortunately for them, Frisk had a horrible nightmare.

Frisk had been suffering from nightmares since their first genocide route. And every nightmare got worse and worse.

Frisk was wandering through Snowdin, all alone, when Sans stuck a bone through their chest, killing them instantly. Frisk appeared in the Void, and Gaster once again abused the poor child even more. The nightmare concluded with a ginormous figure appearing above Frisk, an evil smirk on its face.

"You were never in control." It cackled. The voice echoed in Frisk's head, almost bursting their ear drums. They screamed, covering their face and sobbing.

Frisk woke up with a start, their heart racing. They glanced at their hand, sighing heavily. They wished they weren't here. They gazed at Cody and Clover, who were actually still awake and whispering to each other. They stealthy crept closer to eavesdrop.

"Dad's gonna kill us..." Cody sighed.

"Yeah, but it's like I wanna stay down here," Clover grumbled. "You know what? I think I should be the one that takes Asgore's soul and goes up to the surface. Everyone needs to hear about this... even Dad."

"Well... I always thought you were a good leader, sis..." Cody replied. "So... I'd say yes."

"Thanks, bro," Clover said. She paused. "Where'd you get that glowin' green food from, by the way? Y'know, that stuff you gave Brayden."

"I'm... not sure." Cody answered, frowning. "It was just there..."

"Well..." Clover smiled. "I think you got a special gift, bro. I mean I'm no Percy, but I think it's something to do with your soul."

"Wow..." Cody looked astonished. Clover patted his arm.

"You could definitely be a good doctor one day," she told him. She yawned. "Well, I'm gettin' sleepy. G'night, Cody. Big day tomorrow."

"Yeah..." Cody replied, slightly melancholic. "Night, Clover." He laid on his back and attempted to sleep. Frisk sighed. These kids really meant a lot to them... more than they knew.

Once again, Frisk wished they weren't here.

Asgore continued watering his flowers, gazing at the path to the barrier. He could tell. It was time.

Time to raise the fallen angel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm afraid I'm not done torturing Frisk just yet. ;)
> 
> Also R.I.P. to Qwinton, my pet green beetle. You lived a good life my friend. :(


	37. ASGORE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the bottom for important updates. :P

-Frisk-

Finally, the end had come. The kids walked towards the throne room, ready to meet the king… and slaughter him to save the world.

"Y'all ready?" Clover asked, eyeing the others.

"Yep!" Brayden grinned, flexing his arm. He was looking much better compared to the day before.

"No," Melody admitted. She sighed. "But we don't have a choice, do we?"

Cody smiled sadly. "No, I don't think we do…"

"But we're almost home…" Faye said quietly. She had a glint in her eyes. "That's good, if anything."

"YEAH!" Brayden grinned, lightly punching her shoulder. She blushed.

"We have to do what we have to do." Percy added. Frisk nodded in agreement.

The kids finally walked through the door. They were greeted with a large garden full of golden flowers and a throne in the centre of the room. Asgore was standing in front of the kids, his back facing towards them, watering the flowers. He was humming a soft tune to himself.

"HEY YOU!" Brayden yelled at Asgore. "TURN AROUND AND FIGHT US!"

Melody sighed at his behaviour, but she didn't say anything.

"Huh…?" Asgore asked, turning around. With horror, he realised who he was talking to. His hands trembled, and he almost dropped his watering can. He took a few steps back, a frown on his face. "Oh."

"That's right," Brayden flexed. "You're not ready for these guns!"

"Brayden, please…" Melody sighed. Clover stepped forward, interrupting the both of them.

"You already know why we're here, Asgore," she said. Her tone darkened as she gripped her pistol. "Do ya really think Chara's gonna save you? Well, they ain't. And secondly…" She held up her pistol. "I don't have anythin' against you, pardner, but if you wanna save the world… you're gonna have to die."

Asgore frowned, his expression dark.

"Then I suppose we do not have a choice," he said. "This way." He walked north. The kids followed him, grim expressions on their faces. They entered the room before the Barrier. It brought back nostalgia from the very first room.

The room from so long ago... Frisk almost felt themself choke up. How long had it been...?

Their thoughts were interrupted when Clover brought them aside for a moment.

"Kid," her voice was serious and her grip was shaky. "I… I was gonna volunteer myself to be the one to take Asgore's soul and go to the surface, but… honestly, I think you'd do a better job. You are the group leader, after all, aren't ya? And besides… it just feels right seeing you go back up there." She muttered, "And like I wanna see my dad again."

Frisk nodded, shrugging. Clover grinned at them.

"So you'll do it?" she asked.

Frisk nodded, confirming their answer. Yet on the inside, they felt guilty again. They were straight up lying about all of this. No one was going to the surface ever again.

Clover patted their shoulder.

"Thanks, kiddo," she said. "You're the best." She put her arm around their shoulder. "Now we've got a world to save."

"I did not want it to come to this," Asgore sighed, standing before the entrance to the barrier. "... take as long as you need. If you all are not ready, I understand. I am not ready either." He walked through the entrance to the barrier.

"I don't think any of us were ready to fall Underground and go on a big adventure," Faye said. "But…. we survived. If we survived all that, then… I think we can survive this too."

"Yeah!" Brayden agreed, giving his best friend a noogie. "THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!"

"It… just doesn't feel like the end already…" Cody sighed, tears in his eyes. "I… I don't want to have to say goodbye so soon…"

"It's just one more boss fight," Percy said. He faintly smiled. "Then we finally get to go home."

"And we're shatterin' the barrier, so we'll see all the monsters again. Heck, they'll probably be going home with us." Clover added.

"But… just in case, I'm gonna leave this behind so everyone remembers me." Faye said. She removed her ribbon and put it on the ground, in the center of the room. The sun gave it a faint glimmer.

"That's a good idea," Cody smiled. He got out his apron, which was still mucky. "I'll leave this here too." He placed it next to Faye's ribbon.

"I WANT IN!" Brayden declared. He took off his bandanna and put it with the other objects. Clover joined in as well by placing her hat on the pile. Percy tore out a page of his notebook, which was full of notes about the Underground, and added it to the pile. Melody left a single ballet shoe behind. She could always get another one on the surface. Frisk left their stick behind.

"Now we're ready." Clover said. And so, the kids entered the room with the Barrier...

Everyone took a moment to observe the Barrier. It was white, and flashed grey every few seconds. It made a sound that echoed all around the kids.

"It's… so pretty…" Faye admired. Asgore, once again with his back turned, was standing in front of the kids, his head down.

"This is the Barrier," he said. "This is what keeps us all trapped underground." He paused. "If by chance… any or all of you have any unfinished business… please do what you must️."

The kids glanced at each other. They knew it was time. No going back.

"We're ready." Clover confirmed.

"... I see." Asgore said grimly. "This is it, then." He turned around. "Ready?" Seven empty jars appeared beside Asgore. Percy looked tense.

"They're for our souls…" he said.

A strange light filled the room. Twilight was shining through the Barrier.

"It seems the journey is finally over…" Faye said quietly.

The group was filled with…

Patience, Bravery, Integrity, Perseverance, Kindness, Justice…

DETERMINATION

"Humans…" Asgore said, smiling at the children. "It was nice to meet you." He raised his glowing, red trident and used it to destroy the MERCY option. "Goodbye."

The kids stared at each other. There really was no going back now. Frisk gazed at their hands, and their heart dropped. They knew their plan wouldn't work in this timeline. Their friends were standing in their way. Frisk couldn't bare to remove them, despite the fact that their friends were actually the reason their plan wouldn't work in the first place. Frisk just couldn't stand being alone for the last time...

Frisk sighed. They'd been playing along for the whole journey, even agreeing to go up to the surface. But it wasn't going to happen.

This timeline had failed them.

... but somehow, Frisk couldn't force themself to reset...

Flames appeared all around the monster king. The kids stared at each other.

"Let's go." Clover declared. She fired bullets at Asgore, decreasing his health. Flames, similar to Toriel's, waved around the kids. Cody batted some of them away with his pan.

"DIE MALE TORIEL!" Brayden yelled, running towards Asgore.

"T… Toriel…" Asgore stiffened up at that name. Brayden punched him over, knocking him out of his shock.

"You know Toriel?" Faye asked Asgore, with sympathy. Asgore nodded slowly, rubbing his head.

"FAYE, FOCUS!" Brayden stepped in front of Faye.

Faye ignored him and continued gazing at Asgore. "Toriel was your wife... wasn't she?"

"Y… yes, she was…" Asgore looked down with a sad smile.

"She's distracting him," Percy said. He stared at his notebook. "Which means we can attack."

Clover nodded. She fired at Asgore, while Frisk threw a few red spears. Melody kicked him in the side. Asgore then focused back on the fight. He raised his trident and brought it down, hitting all the children at once. They all fell over, aside from Frisk. They held up their shield, protecting themself.

Asgore was at three quarters of his original health.

"Toriel was very nice," Faye said, her voice full of sadness. She held out her piece of butterscotch pie. She ate it slowly, healing herself. "This… makes me think of her…"

Asgore's breathing grew shaky.

"Now!" Percy hissed. Clover fired at Asgore again, her brother holding up his pan and protecting her from the flames.

"She was just like my mom…" Faye sighed. She wiped her eyes. With a quiet, croaky voice, she said, "But I'm never gonna get to see Mom again."

She held up her knife as Asgore summoned more flames. She dodged the flames, gazing at Asgore's hidden face.

"And you'll never get to see Toriel again," Faye said. "I know the feeling, Asgore." Her smile was sad. "But it's okay. It'll all be over soon." She held up her knife. Asgore held up his trident.

"YOU GO FAYE!" Brayden yelled. "HIT HIM!"

"Sometimes the greatest weapon is the element of surprise," Faye said. She glanced at her knife. "Am... am I selfish for what's about to happen? I don't think so... it's the end for me. I... just wanna see my mom and dad again…" She wiped her eyes. "Even if that means I have to..." She trailed off, holding her head down.

"HIT HIM, FAYE!" Brayden yelled. The other kids looked curious.

"My friends are the best friends in the world... and I love them," Faye sniffled. "But I can't be happy here. Not if I have to keep waiting forever..." She looked down. "Who knows… maybe Chara has the right idea." She threw her knife on the ground and held out her arms, a smile on her face. She stood before Asgore. "I give up."

"H… human…" Asgore said, looking down at her. His face softened. "Well, if this is what you want…" He raised his trident above the girl.

"NO DON'T YOU DARE," Brayden growled, trembling. "DON'T HURT HER!"

"Don't do it." Clover agreed, gun in hand.

"No no no no no no…" Percy began sweatbeading.

"Asgore, please don't!" Cody begged, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Oh Faye…" Melody bowed her head.

Frisk stood there in silence, not saying anything. They clenched their fist.

Faye sighed as Asgore's eyes glowed. She looked... almost happy.

"FAYE!" Brayden bellowed, panting heavily. His eyes were watering. "DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"

Melody gently squeezed Brayden's shoulder. "It's too late, Br-"

"SHUT UP!" Brayden yelled, shoving Melody off. He raced towards Faye, who was waiting patiently.

"This is only my fault," Faye said, tears dripping down her cheeks. She closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Brayden... and thank you. Thank you for being the greatest friend I could've asked for." She mumbled, "I love you."

Asgore brought the trident down. And Faye was gone. The last thing Brayden saw was her smile… and her cyan soul, floating in the air.

Brayden stopped completely, his body tensing up. Tears came out of eyes, and he didn't bother to stop them. He breathed heavily, sobbing. Cody was crying into his sister's arms. Melody was wiping away her own tears, and Percy couldn't move. Clover was giving Asgore a harsh glare, still hugging her brother. Frisk hadn't changed. They stood adamant, their eyes hidden.

Yet deep down, they missed Faye too.

"Heh heh…" Brayden wiped his tears on the back of his hand. His expression was stoic and his voice was calm. "You know what? Real men can cry, just as long as they get back up. Women too." He clenched his fist and stared at Asgore. "You... You killed my best friend."

He trembled and broke his facade.

"YOU KILLED MY BEST FRIEND!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "I WILL TEAR YOU APART AND I WILL EAT YOUR DUST!" Flames appeared at the corners of his eyes as they glowed orange. His fists glowed orange as well as he approached Asgore.

"MY NAME IS BRAYDEN VALIANCE AND I AM BRAVERY!" he continued. "AND THIS IS A FIGHT I AM GOING TO WIN!"

He raced forward and punched Asgore in the chest. The monster was flung across the floor. He used his trident to help himself get back up. His HP had been knocked down to half.

"B-Brayden… what's happening to him?" Melody asked, pulling her hands through her hair.

Percy gulped. "W… well, it's either something... or someone gave him powers through his determination, or… he made them himself."

Frisk didn't say anything.

"Maybe ya should reset, pardner," Clover said, staring at them. "It'd bring Faye back."

Frisk didn't respond. They felt empty.

Asgore summoned flames and threw them at Brayden.

"HA!" Brayden grinned. "I CAN FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE TOO!" He grabbed a bit of the fire that was being thrown at him and placed it over his fist. He then raced forward and delivered another fiery punch. Asgore flinched, falling to his knees.

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Brayden yelled. "WHO'S THE BIGGER MAN NOW?!" He grinned, staring down at Asgore.

"BRAYDEN, LOOK OUT!" Melody shrieked.

But it was too late. Asgore's trident went through Brayden's back. The child froze, falling over. The colour vanished from his eyes. He smiled. Tears slipped down his cheeks.

"Ha… ha... a t-true man d-dies with honour and g-glory..." he sighed. He laughed. "See you soon, Faye…"

"No Brayden NO!" Melody screamed with horror. Brayden collapsed, still smiling. His soul floated into the air, pulsing with orange. Asgore was twitching, concealing his own tears.

"Oh you've done it now." Clover growled, glaring at Asgore, whose face was darkened.

"YOU SURE DARN HAVE!" Melody roared. "SURE BRAYDEN ANNOYED ME TO NO ENDS, BUT HE WAS MY FRIEND, DARNIT!" She clenched her fists. "FORGET MANNERS! YOU DESERVE TO DIE IN THE MOST UNFASHIONABLE WAY POSSIBLE! YOU MONSTER!"

"Melody… no… please… don't…" Percy managed to stutter. "I don't want you to die too…"

Melody let her bun become a long ponytail, before she charged at the monster. She was much more agile at dodging his blows. Clover and Frisk assisted by offering attacks on the side. Cody held up his pan for defence. Percy fell to his knees and had a panic attack.

"Integrity is about doing the right thing…" Melody said. "And my family's all about that. But to be honest, I don't even care if what I'm doing is morally right. I just want to see you DEAD." She kicked Asgore in the side, hard. He grabbed the side, which was cracking. Melody panted heavily.

"You know what? Killing you is the right thing to do," she growled. "It's the only way to save the world."

"Melody, p-please come back…" Percy begged. "I… I don't want to see this anymore…"

"No, no, I'm… getting carried away…" Melody grabbed her head, trembling. "I'm not a murderer. I shouldn't stoop to your level."

Asgore stood up. He was still living, though he was shaking.

"I just wish we never came to this stupid place," Melody growled. "I wish we hadn't followed that child." She glanced at Frisk. She glowered. "You know what? I wish we hadn't gone out at all. And I wish Percy wasn't so sensitive about his stupid notebook."

Percy frowned, looking down. He was almost crying himself.

Melody glared at Frisk. "And I wish SOMEONE WOULD JUST RESET!"

Frisk didn't respond.

"MELODY!" Percy suddenly yelled. A wave of fire from Asgore's paw fell upon Melody, burning her to a crisp. She joined the dead humans. Her blue soul floated into the air.

"No… NOT MELODY TOO!" Cody sobbed.

Percy trembled, his breathing heavy. He continued repeating a phrase like a broken record. "Don't get mad, Percy… you'll die too, Percy isn't mad, Percy isn't mad, Percy isn't mad, Percy isn't mad, Percy is okay, Percy isn't mad…"

"Well, Clover is very mad," Clover growled. "Step back, Cody. I don't want you getting hurt. And you." She walked over to Frisk. She stared at them harshly, straight in the eye. "Reset. NOW. Don't make me force ya. You do not want that."

Frisk just stared back blankly.

"Don't reset, actually," Percy said, standing up. He was keeping his voice calm and collected. "I want to see if it is even possible to kill Asgore at all. No point in resetting to do something if it simply can't be done."

"... fair enough," Clover said. "But that doesn't mean we should let our friends stay dead. We'll have to reset at some point."

"Not yet." Percy responded. He stared at Asgore. "I can control my emotions, I won't let myself get angry so I become foolish enough to let myself get killed. It won't happen. It won't." His grip on his notebook was shaky. "Not to me."

His breathing was heavy. "I will control myself enough to slaughter the enemy, but not let the enemy slaughter me." He looked at Clover. "Finish him."

Clover pulled out her gun in response and began firing at Asgore, who was summoning large waves of fire. Percy held onto his arms. Cody and Frisk were by his sides, the former holding out his pan and the latter with their shield.

"I'm okay," Percy said, frowning. "You don't have to protect me in such a manner."

Frisk summoned a few spears and threw them at Asgore, assisting Clover. Cody glanced at Percy.

"Just go, Cody." Percy said, looking down. "I need to think."

Percy kept staring at his notebook, not focusing on anything else. Cody gave him a sad stare, before moving backwards, still eyeing him.

"What's he doin' now?" Clover asked. She and the others gazed at Percy, who was still focusing on his notebook.

"I think he's trying to stay calm…" Cody said. He sounded nervous. A fireball exploded nearby Percy. The boy dropped his notebook and glanced at Asgore. He looked away again, taking a deep breath.

"Percy's fine, Percy's fine…" he repeated to himself. He stared at the fire and started panicking. He covered his face with his sleeve. Asgore approached him.

"Get away from him!" Clover yelled, holding out her gun. She realised there was no ammo left. She looked furious. "DAMMIT!"

Suddenly, Percy turned around and stared at Asgore. He had turned into his ban kai form, but he kept switching back and forth from it and his normal self.

"I just… I just want her back," he said. He raised his voice and yelled, "THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"

He couldn't control himself or his actions anymore. He had lost himself.

Asgore looked away as he stabbed the frantic Percy, killing him too. His purple soul floated upwards.

Clover stormed up to Frisk and grabbed the front of their shirt, bringing them close to her face.

"RESET ALREADY!" she yelled. "DON'T YOU CARE THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING? I'VE LOST FOUR OF MY FRIENDS!"

Frisk didn't respond. Cody started sobbing immensely. He straightened his back and held out his pan. He glared at Asgore.

"I… I'VE GIVEN YOU TOO MANY CHANCES!" Cody yelled. "BUT I CAN'T LET YOU KILL ANYMORE OF MY FRIENDS!" He raised his pan and whammed it across Asgore's middle, knocking the monster down. His HP was now at a quarter.

"BRO, GET BACK HERE!" Clover yelled, briefly letting go of Frisk. They leapt away using their sword. But Clover was more concerned about protecting her brother. She raced over to him, shoving him out of the way of some flames.

"You promised me you wouldn't die." she said seriously, holding onto his arm. Cody pushed her away.

"I don't keep my promises anyway." he replied drily, holding his head down. Clover looked both heartbroken and enraged. Cody raced back over to Asgore, once again whamming him across the chest. Asgore brought his trident towards Cody; he defended himself with his pan, which unfortunately got destroyed.

Cody gazed at the destroyed pan, sighing heavily. Tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO HORRIBLE?!" he yelled. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO KILL THEM?!" He sobbed into his arm again. Flames appeared all around him. He stepped back, staring at his clothes. They were a mess. Clover appeared and dragged him back, standing in front of him protectively. Frisk held up their red shield.

Cody looked at the two in front of him. He started laughing, but it was not a happy laugh.

"I… I can't live like this," he sighed. "Not with nearly all my friends dead. I've let them all down... I-I couldn't protect any of them."

He stood up and moved around his sister and the eighth human.

"Cody, get back behind me." Clover growled. Cody ignored her, heading towards Asgore. He held out his arms, smiling sadly.

"CODY!" Clover repeated. She stood up, while Frisk stayed on the ground. She raced over to her brother, but it was too late. He was dead too. His green soul glowed.

Clover froze, falling to her knees. Her heart was racing. Asgore was holding up his trident, staring down at her. He looked very weak. Clover leaped out of the way, clenching her fists.

"Whatever weapon you can give me, kid," Clover stared at Frisk. "I'll have it."

Frisk handed her their sword. Clover glanced at it, before heading over to Asgore.

"Everyone's dead, aside from me and them," she said, glancing at the sword. Her expression darkened. "I promise you one thing, Asgore. I will bring JUSTICE to my friends." She ran towards Asgore. She clashed the sword with his trident, glaring at him straight in the eyes.

"You can really call yourself a hero?" Clover spat. "When all ya commit is crimes?"

Asgore pushed her back. She raised the sword, cutting through all the flames. She sliced Asgore's cheek. He flinched, cupping it.

"Chara isn't a hero, either," Clover said. She lowered her head. "Now I see why I killed a lot of monsters in another timeline. They were all just as bad."

Clover was hit on the shoulder by some fire. She ignored the searing pain and continued slashing at the monster king.

"Everyone was determined to kill us," she growled, her voice full of emotion. "Because of you. What you told them. This is all YOUR fault. But it's all lies. All Chara's plans for good are lies."

Asgore narrowly missed hitting Clover's chest. She stepped back, the sword glowing in her grasp.

"So that's why we're here now," she said. "Why we're trying to kill you in the first place."

She raced forward with the sword again, but suddenly it shattered in her grasp. The eighth human frowned, looking at their soul. It was shivering.

"KID!" Clover yelled, staring back at them. They hid their face. Suddenly, Clover was stabbed through the chest by Asgore's trident. She fell over, blood everywhere. Her yellow soul joined the others. Frisk stared at her. Their heart felt heavy.

The timeline where the human souls were alive, and they'd all died. How ironic.

Frisk glanced at their hands. It was time to end this.

They summoned their own weapons and ran towards Asgore. They barraged him with spears and Gaster Blasters from every side. Asgore barely had the strength to fight back. Soon, he couldn't even stand up. Frisk stood in front of him, holding out their sword. They barely made a sound as they glared at him with glowing, red eyes.

"Ah…" Asgore sighed, hand on his heart. "So that is how it is." He paused. "I remember the day after my son died. The entire Underground was devoid of hope. The future had once again been taken from us by the humans. Until… the Fallen Angel appeared. They promised us justice and freedom. So I agreed to help them. I declared that any human that fell down here must die. I would use their souls to raise the Fallen Angel, and they would destroy the Barrier… and humanity. The Underground was full of hope. My wife, however, couldn't bare to sacrifice a group of innocent humans to raise something that would destroy their entire race. She became disgusted with me for promoting such a thing. She left this place, never to be seen again. Truthfully…

"I do not want power. I do not want to hurt anyone. I just wanted everyone to have hope… but… I cannot take this any longer. I just want to see my wife. I just want to see my son. I cannot stand to murder a… another child. Young one..." He stared at Frisk. "The last remaining human… please. This war has gone on too long. It is not worth raising the Angel anymore when it will only bring more death and destruction. You have the power… take my soul, and leave this cursed place. Bring peace and love instead of war. Do it for your friends."

Frisk stared at the two options. They sighed. They couldn't go to the surface. They looked around them, and gazed at the fallen humans. They looked at their own soul, which was cracking. Frisk, despite everything, still cared deeply about the other humans. They hated watching them die. They hated that feeling of emptiness that was surrounding them, and they felt so guilty for not resetting...

But they were better at caring about themself.

They pressed the cracked MERCY option.

"After everything I have done to hurt you and your friends…" Asgore sighed. "You would rather stay down here and suffer… than live happily on the surface?" He smiled sadly. "Human… I promise you… for as long as you remain here… my wife and I will take care of you as best we can. We can sit in the living room, telling stories… eating butterscotch pie… we could be like… like a family…"

Frisk didn't react as a circle of pellets surrounded Asgore. They closed in, destroying his body. Frisk didn't even watch his soul get abolished. They'd seen it so many times.

And Frisk didn't need a family anyway. They had lost track of the last time they'd had a 'family'. They worked better alone.

"You IDIOT," Flowey chuckled, appearing in front of Frisk. "You and all your pathetic friends haven't learned a thing." He reached out his vines, grabbing the six souls. Frisk's anger made them feel a rush of determination, but Flowey's vine tripped them over, stopping them from running. "You really thought this would work, eh, kid? Well, guess what. You FAILED. And all your friends are dead, and you didn't do a thing about it. Hee hee…" he smiled darkly, absorbing the souls. "After all, in this world…

"IT'S KILL OR BE KILLED!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, that was a doozy if I do say so myself. Anyway, so the next chapter might be delayed (cliffhanger, I know) for a few reasons:
> 
> \- I am currently making an animation for this fanfic which will be posted on my YouTube channel, iHateFridays :P (with the emoji). It's gonna be based on the next chapter, and I would like to release both the chap and the anim at the same time. The animation isn't done yet and it will still take a little while before it's completed. Yes you are allowed to be excited, but in my opinion the anim isn't great. :/
> 
> \- I have quite a lot of fanart I have to draw as well, including something for that animation. The fanart will be in the Wattpad and Quotev versions of this fanfic but not this one I'm afraid. :/ That's FFN's fault. XD You can go and check my DeviantART iHateFridays for all that jazz.
> 
> \- Real life is getting harder for me and I'm currently having some issues with school... hopefully I can overcome that.
> 
> Anyway, that's all for now and see you guys next chap. :P


	38. Finale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WATCH THE ANIMATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AERM22tZhuc

~Flowey~

"Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS.

One day, they all disappeared without a trace."

Percy looked confused. He read over the book once again.

"That… doesn't make any sense." he frowned. "How can they all disappear without a trace...?"

"Like this, idiot!" a voice cackled in response. A vine suddenly went through Percy's chest. It took his soul, leaving his body to slump onto the floor.

Melody walked in, her arms folded. "You've been in here all… Percy…?" She stared at his corpse. Before she could react, her soul was taken as well.

"What's going on?" Brayden asked, popping his head in. He gazed at Percy and Melody, and before he knew it, he was dead too.

Clover walked in with her brother. "You guys are-" There was a deadly pause. Vines suddenly took their souls, leaving them dead. Faye entered. She gasped with horror and covered her mouth, only to die as well. Flowey chuckled darkly, holding the six souls around him. Frisk sliced the wall open, holding up their sword. They were glaring at Flowey. He returned the look.

"You IDIOT," he hissed. The scene was suddenly shattered, changing to pitch black. Frisk was crawling through that pitch black. They saw a SAVE point ahead, but it vanished as soon as they touched it.

F̸̛̮i̵̜͋̈l̶͎̽̇ȩ̶̹͗ ̶̮̙̌͝ȩ̶̽r̷̔̂͜a̵̭͑s̸̗̬͝ẹ̸̘͒d̴̯͇̆

"Howdy!" Flowey laughed, now above Frisk, his face much bigger. He looked down at Frisk. "It's me, FLOWEY. FLOWEY the FLOWER!" he smirked, observing Frisk's expression. "Wow, someone's looking a little upset. I thought you didn't care about this timeline. Even to the point where you let all your friends die. You had the chance to reset, but you didn't, did you? Oh well, none of this matters to you anymore since you've failed. And you know it. You aren't strong enough to save anyone, even yourself. You could have, but you were curious. You wanted to see what would happen next. You couldn't stop that desire. Pathetic."

Frisk aggressively held up their sword. Flowey sniggered.

"Hee hee hee," he said menacingly. "Don't worry, kid, I know that feeling. Or maybe... you just couldn't push your friends away. You wanted to keep up all your lies. You wanted everyone to keep believing you're the hero. You'd pretend to give them their ending, but in reality, no one's happy. And I'll admit, you did well. But it won't be that way forever. They'll see the truth soon enough. And then you'll be ALL ALONE. No one will ever love you ever again." he smirked darkly. "I can see why you decided to do this. You sad, miserable, pathetic excuse for a hero."

His eyes melted. "However, I owe you a HUGE thanks. Not only did you kill Asgore and give me your FRIENDS' souls, you gave me a chance to slaughter you over and over and OVER. And the pain will be UNBEARABLE because you KNOW you deserve EVERY. LAST. HIT."

Frisk had a dark expression on their face.

"Hee hee," Flowey cackled. "I bet you miss your friends a lot, huh? Don't worry. You'll get to see them again VERY soon. I only have six souls, after all. I only need one more… before I become GOD. And then, with my newfound powers… monsters. Humans. EVERYONE." His expression constantly changed. "I'll show them all the REAL meaning of this world." He cackled. "I'd warn you that you can't escape, but you already know that. You already know EVERYTHING, don't you?" He laughed once more.

Frisk walked confidently towards him.

"You really are an idiot…" Flowey sighed. "You KNOW you can't stop me. Say goodbye to your pathetic existence FOREVER."

A battle begun. Frisk stayed back as their friends' souls appeared before them. A creature covered in shadows approached Frisk. Their heart raced as they gripped their sword. They had done this countless times, but it was different this time. Frisk knew the human souls. No. They were friends with the souls, cared about them, protected them…

Let them all die...

Flowey appeared in all his horrific glory, and cackled darkly. Yet it didn't scare Frisk anymore. All they could think of was their friends.

The friends they had betrayed.

Frisk held up their sword, dodging white pellets and jet cannons full of fire. They sliced off one of the jets of fire, only for it to regrow. Frisk used a red shield to protect themself from a large collection of vines penetrating them. Pellets bounced off their shield, which was starting to shatter. Frisk trembled, but they refused to give up. They had come this far. They wouldn't stop now.

Frisk wondered if the kids were feeling anything inside Flowey. They hoped so. They never even said goodbye…

...

"STOP HURTING THEM!" Cody begged, glaring at Flowey. He couldn't move from his position. None of the kids could. Flowey chuckled.

"Why not? This kid is a mess." he hissed.

"Why does everyone think they're evil? They're... they're good!" Melody growled. She sighed. "Look, maybe they might've done something bad in another timeline, but it's behind them now! Right now, they're here to save the world!"

"You're the evil one, Petals," Clover added, gritting her teeth. "Let us go."

"YEAH!" Brayden agreed. "BEFORE I BEAT YOU INTO… FLOWER MUSH!"

"Ooh, I'm sooo scared!" Flowey said mockingly. He looked at Brayden. "Remember what I said about your girlfriend? Forget it, that kid is the REAL monster. If you knew the truth, you would be rooting for ME. I know it."

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Brayden roared.

"They're the reason you're all down here," Flowey chuckled darkly. "They knew this would all happen. Yet they didn't even TRY to stop it. Why? Because they don't care. They don't care about anyone aside from themself."

"That's NOT true!" Cody retorted. "You're just trying to trick us, like you did with Sans and G… someone else!"

"I was never lying," Flowey replied. "I showed them both proof. Scenes from other timelines. Save files. Imagery. You name it. Look kids, that kid is not here for any good reasons. They don't care about you all. They're the only liar here."

"Oh you've lied plenty," Clover growled. "You lied to us when we first fell down. You tried to kill us. That kid's been... mostly truthful. Whatever they did, you're doing worse. Ya really think we're gonna trust you?"

"You will," Flowey smirked. "You definitely will."

Faye threw her toy knife at him, and suddenly she was somewhat in control for a few moments…

...

A tube on Flowey's left side began flashing cyan. Faye's soul appeared in the middle of it. Frisk stared at it, wondering if she was feeling anything. Frisk was suddenly surrounded with knives that were just like Faye's toy knife. Frisk avoided the knives, not looking away from Faye's soul. They held out their hand, reaching out for the soul. They gave it the same smile they did so long ago when they first met…

...

Faye glanced at Frisk. "Thank you. You've done so much for everyone." She ignored Flowey appearing behind her…

...

The room flashed white, and Frisk saw Faye appear before them. She was glowing a translucent cyan, holding up some bandages. She smiled at them, offering them some bandages. They couldn't help but smile back as they accepted the bandages.

They missed her.

Frisk was flashed back to the fight. Missiles were raining down on them from everywhere. Frisk used their shield as an umbrella, while they sliced others up with their sword. Insects came down in a swarm behind them, approaching a venus fly trap. Frisk batted some of them away with their shield, but a few scraped past their side. The pain burned, and Frisk felt blood trickle down their side. More missiles flew towards them, as well as vines. A vine penetrated their leg, but they continued moving, despite having a limp.

Insects flew towards them again. Frisk surrounded themself with their shield, which was not as strong compared to before. Missiles and vines quickly penetrated the shield, exposing Frisk to more horror. Fire was below them, and it burned their clothes. Frisk jumped up, running away from the attacks. They looked up at Flowey's TV screen and noticed the first pipe on the right was flashing orange, Brayden's soul in the middle of it.

...

Brayden had punched Flowey out of the way and was eyeing Frisk. He was grinning at them.

...

Frisk was surrounded by hands that were identical to Brayden's gloves. The hands whirled around in circles. Frisk, limping, managed to hold up their hand and stare at Brayden's soul. They gave it a thumbs up and a grin. The area flashed white.

...

"Stay strong, kid!" Brayden yelled. "YOU'RE A WARRIOR!"

...

Brayden, a translucent orange, was in front of Frisk. His gloves, instead of their regular symbol, now had hearts on them. He gave Frisk a thumbs up and a grin, increasing their health. They smiled back. They missed him too.

More vines attempted to penetrate Frisk. They blocked the vines off with their shield, and even cut a few away with their sword. A pellet went through the arm with the sword, forcing Frisk to drop it. Ninja-star like things approached them as well. Frisk batted some of them away like they were baseballs. Frisk then ran all over the place, taking deep breaths as they dodged more attacks. Their vision was getting dizzy. They were getting tired. Flowey suddenly reloaded, bringing them back to a place with more vines. Frisk held up their shield just in time.

...

"Enough of this." Melody grumbled. She kicked Flowey out of the way. She stared at Frisk, tears in her eyes.

...

The second tube on the left glowed blue. Melody's soul appeared there. Frisk was suddenly underneath lots of stars, and large ballet shoes that were exactly like Melody's attempted to crush them. Frisk took another breath. They hummed Shyren's song, louder than they ever had done before. Their vision was consumed with white.

...

Melody smiled. "You're still a great performer. Do me one last act and don't give up."

...

A translucent blue Melody appeared in front of Frisk and hummed along. The two hummed together, and Frisk felt their wounds heal. They glanced at Melody one last time, sighing heavily.

Frisk forced energy into themself as more vines appeared all around them. They jumped from left to right, holding up their shield. Strange pink things with flowers fired bullets at Frisk, while pieces of flesh flew towards them. Frisk jumped into the air, avoiding the attacks… mostly. Frisk fell back down again, just to have a vine penetrate their side. They lost more than half their health. They covered themself with a shield, just as more pink things appeared and fired at the child.

Frisk's shield shattered. They used their sword to help stand up, only to be chased by a swarm of insects. Their side and legs were covered with blood. Their vision was blurry and they felt sick. But somehow, they kept moving. From the corner of their eye they saw Percy's soul flashing.

...

"BAN KAI!" Percy yelled, throwing his notebook at Flowey. He adjusted his glasses, sighing.

...

Giant notebooks just like Percy's appeared on Frisk's sides. Words such as 'loneliness' and 'ruin' moved towards them. Frisk pulled out their stick and wrote 'DETERMINATION' on the ground. White surrounded them.

...

"Sure this whole experience might have altered my mental health to a certain degree and it was quite dangerous, but it taught me so much… so thank you," Percy said. "I'll get over my anxiety… some day."

...

Percy, purple and translucent, was standing there, holding up his notebook. Positive and encouraging words had been written on its pages. Percy had a small smile on his face. Frisk could tell… he was getting better.

And they were getting worse.

Frisk brushed their hair out of their eyes as they stood up, almost tripping over themself. They narrowly avoided vines penetrating them. They moved to the side, weakly gripping their sword. Ninja stars sliced their arms. They saw a distorted face on Flowey's TV screen. They bit their lip as their vision kept flashing white…

...

"ENOUGH!" Cody yelled. He ran towards Frisk.

...

Next thing Frisk knew, frying pans were throwing bursts of fire on top of them. They weakly moved out of the way, before shaking their head. They held out their arms like they wanted a hug.

...

"Don't let anyone bring you down!" Cody said. "You're an amazing kid and you've done so much to help everyone!"

...

Cody, a translucent green, appeared in front of Frisk, offering them some fried eggs. They accepted the offer, feeling their HP increase. Cody then gave them a hug. They returned it, feeling themself choke up with emotions.

Frisk could barely move. They could barely see. They could barely feel. They let Flowey thrash them around, blood everywhere. They finally forced themself to stand up and shield themself from a few more blows. The pain was everywhere. Frisk smiled sadly.

They deserved all of this…

...

"Oh Hell no." Clover now stormed forward, an intense look in her eyes.

...

Frisk was surrounded by crosshairs. They felt a bullet launch them backwards. They stood up, hair covering their face. They weakly gave Clover's soul a wink. The girl herself. translucent yellow, soon appeared in front of Frisk.

...

"You're a weird kid, but a strong one," Clover said. "Don't give up savin' the world, kiddo. You're the only hope left."

...

She was holding a clover. She gave it to Frisk, which filled up their health. But they couldn't stay standing forever. They fell to their knees. Their determination was faltering. Flowey was right.

They had failed. This timeline had failed them just like every other timeline.

No. Frisk let this timeline fail them. They got too attached to the other humans. They didn't do what they had to. And they paid the consequences.

Flowey cackled darkly as he stared at Frisk. They breathed heavily, but they couldn't force themself to stand. Their soul was cracking.

...

"No!" Cody yelled, staring at them. Tears were coming out of his eyes.

"GET UP AND FIGHT, KID!" Brayden growled. Frisk didn't stir. Their soul was still cracking.

"They're dead," Flowey cackled. "Despite everything you did to help them, they're still dead. Hopeless. Alone."

"You're wrong!" Melody shrieked, anger in her eyes.

"Am I?" Flowey asked condescendingly. The kids ignored him and raced towards Frisk. Faye took a deep breath, holding out her hand.

"You saved my life once," she said, staring at them. "I'd better return the favour."

She knelt down beside Frisk and grabbed their shoulder. She was glowing cyan. Frisk glowed cyan for a moment as well.

"Hey," Faye said. "You'll be fine. You survived this long... why stop now?"

Frisk looked up and acknowledged her with a glance. They felt… a little better. They realised sometimes they had to wait to understand, rather than be so impatient and demanding all the time.

You are filled with PATIENCE.

"HEY!" Brayden yelled at them. Frisk stared at him. His bandana was blowing in the wind. "Don't stop fighting! Or I'll beat the CRAP out of you!"

If Frisk wanted to have any chance of winning, they were going to have to be brave enough to stand up and put up a fight.

You are filled with BRAVERY.

"No matter what…" Melody put a hand on Frisk's shoulder. They turned and looked at her. "Always stay true to yourself."

Morality… there was no pacifist run without morality.

You are filled with INTEGRITY.

"DETERMINATION is the only way to survive this world." Percy said with a small smile. "And if anyone is going to be determined, it's you."

Frisk knew Percy was right. They hadn't given up before…

You are filled with PERSEVERANCE.

"Always be kind," Cody said, giving Frisk a hug. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

Frisk had given many second chances and they were ready to give more.

You are filled with KINDNESS.

Clover winked at Frisk. "Knock 'em dead, kiddo."

… and sometimes, Frisk fought for peace and equality for everyone.

You are filled with JUSTICE.

Frisk suddenly felt a lot better. They gazed at their soul, which was starting to heal itself. Frisk stood up, power flowing around them. They glared at Flowey.

"Still alive, huh?" He asked. He scowled. "I'll take care of that." He reached out towards them with his viney arm. Frisk looked down, smirking. Their eyes were glowing.

You are filled with…

DETERMINATION

Frisk sliced the vine away with their sword. It fell off, and green goop was everywhere. Flowey threw missiles at them, but Frisk created a shield of soul magic, stopping the missiles from touching them. The souls surrounded them, and Frisk's power increased. Their eyes turned rainbow.

Flowey suddenly looked afraid. Very afraid.

Frisk attacked him from different angles, vastly lowering his health. He tried to grab them, but they were untouchable.

They were DETERMINATION.

Frisk unleashed their killing blow on the flower by slicing their sword down his screen. They landed on the ground, plant remains nearby their legs. Flowey fizzed and crackled. He shook violently, his engines going haywire.

"NO… NO!" he bellowed. "You… you…" Suddenly, he loaded his SAVE file, undoing all of Frisk's damage. A smirk was on his face.

"You IDIOT." he laughed. Frisk gasped with horror. They had forgotten…

They held up their shield, but it was too late. Flowey's vine grabbed their legs, smashing them into the floor. Their vision went blurry. A lack of determination had destroyed them them. Flowey fired multiple lasers at them, shattering their soul. They breathed in shakily, unable to save themself. Frisk's powers had vanished. They couldn't stop it. They couldn't stop the pain. They died over and over, pain flashing through them. They were so stupid. Did they really think they stood a chance…?

Once again, Frisk was immobile. Their powers had gone. It was just them. Their hopeless self.

Flowey hoisted their lifeless body up with his vine, bringing it close to his face.

"Did you of ALL people really think you could defeat ME?!" Flowey asked. "Sure you may have a fancy sword and shield, but I am GOD. I have everything. You have NOTHING. You're hopeless and alone." His expression was twisted. "But I'm bored with killing just you. Because I love you SO much, I've got an even better present for you. You'll get to watch me tear your precious friends to bloody pieces… over and over AND OVER." He cackled, his laugh making Frisk shiver. Frisk thought of their friends… it briefly woke them up from their emotionless trance.

Frisk summoned their sword and sliced it downwards, freeing themself from the vine.

"You can never escape," Flowey boomed. Vines were everywhere. "You're trapped, kid. No one's coming to help you. They're all dead!"

Frisk bit their lip. They glanced at their arm, which was covered in blood. They were trembling.

"Try calling for help!" Flowey towered menacingly above Frisk. "I DARE you! 'Mommy! Daddy! Anyone!' No one will hear you. Everyone you love is GONE. And don't rely on your human friends. Their help is useless. That's been proven already."

Frisk looked down. "..." They looked like they were about to say something, but they held back.

"Even you know the truth," Flowey cackled. "It's over."

"No it's not." a voice protested. A familiar voice. Suddenly, the six human souls appeared behind Frisk. Frisk turned around and stared at them. Their heart raced with glee... and relief.

"Oh how ADORABLE," Flowey said mockingly. "But you kids can't do anything."

"That's not true, Flowey," Melody retorted.

"We're the ones giving you your power," Percy added. "So we can just as easily take it."

"You can't," Flowey growled. "I'm the one in control. You all do what I say."

"Not anymore," Clover growled. "You're not controllin' anyone ever again."

"You didn't deserve to control anyone in the first place!" Cody added.

"YOU COWARD!" Brayden bellowed. "WE'LL ALL CRUSH YOU INTO FLOWER MUSH!"

"Bye bye." Faye waved at Flowey, her tone slightly creepy.

"Now you DIE!" all the kids yelled together.

"No… NO!" Flowey screamed. "You're supposed to OBEY me!" But it was too late. Rainbows surrounded the children, then made their way towards Flowey. He was shaking intensely, still screaming. Rainbows and bright colours were everywhere. Frisk covered their eyes, watching as Flowey was destroyed. There was a flash of light, and it was all over…

The Finale had finally come.

…

…

FIGHT ... MERCY

Frisk stared at the near-dead Flowey, and felt their choice was harsh. Either way, it didn't matter what they chose. They didn't feel anything. Every feeling they'd had previously seemed to have drained away. Their emotions were gone. They couldn't even bring themself to reset.

So they walked forward instead.

"... what are you waiting for?" Flowey asked Frisk. "KILL me, idiot!"

Frisk ignored him. They walked past him, not even giving him a glance.

"W… where are you going?" Flowey asked them. "Aren't you…"

Frisk ignored him as they passed through the Barrier. And once again, their vision was filled with white.


	39. An Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Hope you guys liked the animation despite how cringe it was. :P I think I've promoted this enough, but you can always check my deviantART iHateFridays for more Grouptale stuff. And if you like any of my other fanfics there's fanart for those too. :P THE SELF-PROMO WILL NEVER END HA HA HA
> 
> ...
> 
> Is this how our story will end...
> 
> With the fallen child leaving friends?

…

"heya. is anyone there…? well, i'll just leave a message…"

"so… it's been a while. the queen returned, and is now ruling over the underground. she's enstated a new policy… all the humans who fall here will not be treated as enemies… but as friends. it's probably for the best, anyway. all the human souls that fell down here just seem to have… disappeared. i tried calling all their phones, but they wouldn't even let me leave a voice message. this is the only one that's worked so far. this is the nameless kid's phone, right? heh. rumours are saying everyone died except one human, and that one human managed to escape. i guess that must be you, kid… whoever you are."

"so yeah, people are pretty heartbroken over the king, and while things are, well… looking grim for our freedom, the queen's trying her best not to let us give up hope. so, uh, hey… if we're not giving up down here… don't give up wherever you are, ok? who knows how long it will take… but we will get out of here."

"SANS! WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?"

"oh, nobody."

"WHAT?! NOBODY?! CAN I TALK TO THEM TOO?!"

"here, knock yourself out."

"WAIT A SECOND… I RECOGNIZE THIS NUMBER! IT'S THE HUMAN THAT DOESN'T TALK! OR IS IT THAT OTHER ONE WITH THE RIBBON? ISN'T HER NAME PERCY OR SOMETHING?"

"nope, it's the human that doesn't talk."

"... WHAT'S THEIR NAME AGAIN?"

"they don't talk, they never told us."

"OH RIGHT. ATTENTION, HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS… AM NOW CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD! IT'S EVERYTHING I'VE EVER DREAMED OF… EXCEPT, INSTEAD OF FIGHTING, WE JUST WATER FLOWERS. SO THAT'S EVER-SO-SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. AND, WE'RE HELPING DR. ALPHYS WITH HER RESEARCH! SHE'S GONNA FIND A WAY TO GET US OUT OF HERE. UNDYNE IS HELPING HER TOO! THOUGH, TO BE HONEST, HER METHOD OF HELPING... SEEMS KIND OF… EXPLOSION-INDUCING. BUT I THINK ALPHYS LIKES HAVING HER AROUND. UH OH!"

"Hey! What are you up to, punk? Ngahhh!"

"PLEASE DON'T NOOGIE THE PHONE."

"Hey! Who's in charge here?"

"ME."

"Oh… yeah, that's right! I quit my job as leader of the Royal Guard. Actually, since we won't be fighting anymore… the Royal Guard totally disbanded. There's, uh, only one member now."

"BUT HE'S EXTREMELY GOOD."

"Yeah! He is! C'mere!"

"PLEASE DON'T NOOGIE THE SKELETON."

"Anyways, now I'm working as Alphy's lab assistant. We're gonna find a way out of this dump once and for all! Oh, yeah, and I'm a gym teacher at the queen's new school. Did you know I can bench-press seven children? Awesome, right? I bet I could totally bench press you and all your friends!

"... Hey. I'm sorry about what happened with ASGORE… and your friends. You were just doing what you had to. It's not your fault he… ah, darn it. I miss the big guy. I bet you miss your friends. Thinking about it, so do I… come on, Undyne! Snap out of it!

"Uh, I guess I'll tell you how Alphys is doing. Well, she's the same as ever. Maybe a little more reclusive than normal. Seems like something's really bothering her… but she can get through it! I'm there supporting her! That's what friends are for, right?!

"... hey, wherever you are… I hope it's better than here. It took a lot of sacrifice for you to get there… so, wherever you are… you have to try to be happy, okay?! I know what happened to your friends, but you have to try to stay positive… for our sakes! We'll feel better knowing our trouble was worth it. We're still all with you! Everyone is! Even the queen!

"... HEY! WAIT a second! TORIEL! TORIEL! Do you wanna…? … heh, she says she's busy."

"BUT IF SHE KNEW WHO WE WERE TALKING TO…"

"we wouldn't get the phone back for at least a few hours."

"WE HAVE THE MERCY TO SPARE YOU FROM HER!"

"But call back anytime, okay?! She'd love to talk!"

"oh, whoops. this thing's almost outta batteries. so, hate to cut this short, but… be seeing you, ok, buddy?"

"BYE BYE FOR NOW!"

"See ya, punk!"

…

Frisk gazed into the distance. They were sitting on a cliff, staring at the sky. It was bright orange and pink. Frisk could see a silhouette of a city and the sun's reflection on the sea. It was beautiful, Frisk wouldn't lie.

They gazed at their phone in their hand. They had listened to the whole voice message, and yet didn't feel like talking to anyone. They continued staring at the phone. They felt uneasy. And almost… hopeless. Despite everything, they were still alive. They had survived something seven times more powerful than them. They'd survived Asgore when everyone else fell.

Frisk felt sick. They thought about their friends. A memory flashed in front of their eyes…

"Uh... hi," Faye greeted quietly, smiling at Frisk. They were walking on a grey path. At the end was a grey gate with a weird symbol on it. The other kids were yelling and arguing in the background. "I didn't say it before, but... thanks for saving me. It was really nice of you." Frisk nodded. They faced the grey gate. "Um... I kinda like that you don't talk. I mean, I'm usually the quiet one... but, um, now I'm not alone!" She gave the child a small smile. "You don't have to if you don't want to... but do you want to be friends?"

The child looked thoughtful for a moment. They smiled and nodded.

Frisk glanced at their hand. Why didn't they reset? They just felt… empty. The end didn't matter to them anymore. It always happened like this. People died no matter what.

There was no happy ending, even here...

The eighth human, suddenly, gave Brayden a big hug. He wasn't always a hug fan. But he could make an exception this one time. He let the eighth human hug him. They were pretty nice after all. They were many things.

Brayden laughed good-naturedly this time. "Thanks. Hey," He stared at them. "I'm sorry 'bout all that stuff before. You're not that bad. You saved me a hundred million times."

Yet Frisk couldn't help enjoying themself sometimes. They got attached to people. They fell in love. And they wanted to protect others too.

Melody hadn't felt like this for a long time. She had been so worried and upset for the whole journey. What if they would never escape? What would happen to her friends? It took all the energy she had to keep herself upright. But not just here, but on the surface too. It was hard to be the honest one. Melody realized that life was worth living if there were moments like this. The eighth human smiled at her. She found herself smiling back. They knew more than anyone how to make a scene.

Frisk came here for a reason. A reason just for themself. Yet, they didn't want the journey to be so solitary…

"Chara is the one who has something horrible planned for this timeline, not the nameless one," Percy pointed out. "The nameless one is here to stop them." He had a small smile on his face. "Their friendship proved that to me."

Frisk's blush grew.

And they didn't want to say goodbye so soon. Not when all their friends meant to much to them.

"I'm... I'm so sorry..." Cody sobbed, his hands wet. "I don't know what's getting into me."

The eighth human gently squeezed his shoulder. They had a kind smile on their face.

"Thanks," Cody replied, smiling back. "You're a great friend."

Frisk had to do something. They couldn't sit here and cry.

There had to be a happy ending... somewhere.

Frisk nodded, shrugging. Clover grinned at them.

"So you'll do it?" she asked.

Frisk nodded, confirming their answer. Yet on the inside, they felt guilty again. They were straight up lying about all of this. No one was going to the surface ever again.

Clover patted their shoulder.

"Thanks, kiddo," she said. "You're the best." She put her arm around their shoulder. "Now we've got a world to save."

Frisk walked back into the Underground. Flowey appeared before them.

"Back so soon?" he asked. Frisk ignored him. They walked past him and held out their hand. Two options appeared:

RESET ... CONTINUE

"Hee hee hee," Flowey giggled. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist that drive for long." He paused, then suddenly held up a weak vine. "Wait, kid."

Frisk looked at him.

"... do you really wanna reset?" he asked. "I mean, sure, your human friends are dead, but they're dead in every other timeline. How about you live up to that cowgirl's promise and go to the surface, get seven souls - maybe their souls if you can find them - and shatter the Barrier? Then, you can live a happy life on the surface with your monster friends! There'll be no trouble with the player - you'll just get to live peacefully at last. That's what you want, right?"

Frisk paused. They did like that idea. They had always wanted a peaceful ending with their monster friends. Most of the time, because of the player, Frisk had only got that ending for, at most, a few months. And then it was all gone again.

But here… it could last forever.

"What's not to LOVE, kid?" Flowey asked, appearing in front of them. "Resetting will only make you happy - and that's in no way guaranteed. If you continue… you can bring everyone home at last. You'll make them all happy - and that is guaranteed." His smile darkened. "Forget your plan, kid. It probably won't even work. Just stick to the good old-fashioned happy ending for monsters. Your human friends will live on in memory. Don't cry. Just continue."

Frisk held their hand over the CONTINUE option, trembling.

"Everyone will be so grateful," Flowey grinned. "Trust me."

Frisk turned around and gave Flowey a sad smile.

...

And, suddenly, with no comment, they RESET.


	40. Dating! Again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may not be what you expected. Enjoy these type of chapters while they last. ;)

"Hey."

Frisk shook their head. They were back. Everyone was back. Frisk felt a weight on their heart; they had ruined their chance at a peaceful ending. But what they had planned was far more important.

Faye was staring at them with a small smirk. Frisk stared back at her, their face darkened. They didn't seem to care why she was smirking.

"BOO!" Brayden appeared behind Frisk, placing his hands on their shoulders. They didn't react at all and instead stood up, their hair lightly blowing in the breeze. Brayden frowned. "... gotcha?"

"... hey, do you know what just happened?" Melody asked Frisk. "I mean, we were heading off to fight Asgore, then… there was a big blur, a quick flash of red, something speedy, something like that… and... then suddenly, we're all back here."

Frisk didn't respond. They started walking in the other direction, away from the Barrier.

"Where are ya goin', kid?" Clover asked. "We're meant to be fighting Asgore."

Frisk didn't respond. They continued walking further and further away.

"... I guess we're following them…" Melody said, her brow raised. Brayden groaned in disappointment. The kids followed Frisk as they walked into an elevator, which took them closer to the exit of New Home. Brayden ran ahead, soon overtaking Frisk. Percy was writing down extra notes while walking… somehow. Clover stayed nearby her brother as usual, though she kept giving Frisk odd glances. Melody, nearby the siblings, was eyeing Brayden, while Faye was somewhat behind.

"Where are we going?" Brayden asked grumpily, standing in front of Frisk. "And why? I wanna go back and FIGHT!"

Frisk ignored him and kept walking forward. Brayden gritted his teeth.

"ARE YOU DEAF?!" he yelled at them. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! WHY ARE YOU IGNORING US?!"

"Maybe they're just focused on something, Brayden." Melody said, pulling Brayden back. "Though, they are acting a little weird…"

"I'm sure they're fine!" Cody said. He waved at Frisk; they didn't even look up. Cody sweat-beaded.

The kids made it out of the CORE. They approached the MTT Resort, when suddenly, Frisk's phone rang. They finally stopped walking. They held out their phone, but didn't answer it. So Cody ran forward and grabbed the phone out of their hand, answering it for them.

"Hello?" he said.

"Hey, Cody…!" Undyne's voice rang out of the phone. "Uh, this is Undyne… (Shut up, Papyrus! This was your idea!)"

"What are you talking about, Undyne?" Melody asked, sounding intrigued.

"HUMANS!" Undyne yelled. "You have to deliver something for me!"

"Who said so?" Clover asked, folding her arms.

"I DID!" Undyne replied. She paused. "And, uh, Papyrus too I guess." There was a brief pause, as if Undyne was pondering her words. "… pretty please? I'm at Snowdin in front of Papyrus'. See ya, punks!" She hung up.

Melody sighed. "Let's go and deliver a letter, I guess."

The kids, after a short boat trip, arrived at Snowdin. They saw Undyne and Papyrus standing outside Papyrus' house, so they approached the two.

"Um, so, I have a favour to ask you kids," Undyne said. She sounded… embarrassed. "Uuuh, I… I need you to deliver this letter. To Dr. Alphys."

"You do realise you have legs," Melody said, making a face. "Which means you can walk over to her yourself."

"OHHHH THAT SALT!" Brayden yelled, punching the air.

"... um," Undyne's face was very kawaii. "W-well… I-it's kind of personal, but we're friends... so… I'll t-tell you kids…" She frowned. "Hotland SUUUUUCKS! I don't wanna have to go over there!"

"So, in other words, you're too lazy." Melody folded her arms.

"So here you go." Undyne ignored Melody's comment and handed her the letter. She gave it to Percy.

"Oh, and if any of you read it…" Undyne's smile became dangerous. "I'll KILL you ALL. Thanks so much! You kids are the best!"

"It's sealed so tightly, even if we wanted to we wouldn't be able to open it." Percy said, examining the letter.

"And I'm not even surprised." Melody sighed.

The kids headed back to Hotland. They stood in front of the door to Alphys' lab.

"No mail slot," Clover frowned. "Welp, guess we'll slip this under." She slipped the letter under the door, followed by knocking on said door.

"(O-oh n-no, is that another letter…?)" Alphys' voice asked on the other side. "(C-can't I just slide it back out…?)"

"WHAT?!" Brayden asked. "WHY?!"

"B… Brayden?" Alphys asked. "I-Is that you?"

"I'm afraid so, and the rest of us." Melody said. Brayden glared at her.

"... then… this is a letter from you guys?" Alphys asked.

Clover said, "It's actually from-"

"I-I guess I gotta open it then!" Alphys said, slightly excited. She paused. "Oh… wow, it's… um, s-shut kind of strongly, i-isn't it? Wait a s-second…"

The kids heard the sound of a chainsaw. They gave each other glances.

"I WANNA SHUT LETTERS THAT TIGHTLY WHEN I GROW UP!" Brayden cheered.

"I thought you were already a 'man'." Melody pointed out with a lot of salt. Brayden glared at her and was about to protest when suddenly, the door opened, revealing a nervous Alphys.

"Oh… um… wow," she said awkwardly. "You… you guys… or one of you guys… sure do/does have an interesting… writing style!"

"Oh, that reminds me of Percy's handwriting," Melody said, sighing. "It's somehow worse than Brayden's."

"HEY, MY HANDWRITING IS GREAT!" Brayden grumbled.

"It's really not," Melody replied. "But it's better than Percy's. His is just chicken scratch."

Percy frowned. "It isn't like I want you to read what I write in my notebook."

"Well, um… anyway, it's surprising, too…" Alphys said. "After all the gross things I did… I don't really deserve to be forgiven. Much less, um… this? And so passionately, too." She smiled. "You know what, I'll do it! It's the least I can do to make it up to you all… or whichever one of you wrote this! Y-yeah! Let's GO ON A DATE."

("Wow, I didn't know Alphys could bold her dialogue..." Faye said in wonder.)

"Going on a date isn't really retribution in my books," Clover said. "And besides, none of us even wrote-"

DATING START

"God dammit, don't do that." Clover grumbled. A black screen was in front of the kids, and Alphys had seemingly disappeared.

"Where'd she go…?" Cody asked, looking around.

"Uhh, sorry!" Alphys said. "I'm still getting dressed!"

"HURRY UP!" Brayden yelled.

Alphys came over, wearing a black dress with white spots. She was sweating. "H-how do I look?"

"You look great!" Cody said, grinning.

"Very cute, if I do say so myself." Melody grinned.

"Thanks," Alphys said. "My friend helped me pick out this dress. She's got a great sense of… um, anyway! Let's do this thing!"

DATING STA-

"H-h-hey, w-w-wait!" Alphys said. "Actually, we still can't start the date yet!"

GOD DAMMIT, DON'T DO THAT.

"That's my line." Clover grumbled.

"Um, I've gotta give you guys items to raise your affection statistic, first! That'll increase the chance of a successful outcome to the date! Right…?" Alphys sweat-beaded.

"In my peripheral, I'd say yes." Percy responded.

"Has anyone else realised Alphys is literally dating seven children?!" Melody exclaimed, waving her hands around.

"I-I've been stockpiling gifts in anticipation for a date like this!" Alphys exclaimed, yet still nervous. "First, I've got… some metal armour polish!"

The kids glanced at each other, crickets chirping in the background.

"... um, maybe you kids can't use that." Alphys said, putting the polish away. "But! I also brought some waterproof cream for your scales!"

"Oh my God, you don't bring waterproof scale cream to a date with SEVEN HUMAN CHILDREN!" Melody grumbled.

"... your….. scales….." Alphys blushed, frantically putting the cream away. "Uh, well, how about… this magical spear repair kit, that I…" She made a face. "Hey, let's forget about the items! Let's just start the date!"

"FINALLY!" Brayden yelled triumphantly.

DATING! START!

"Yeah!" Alphys cheered. "Let's, uh, date!"

There was an awkward pause.

"I'm hungrrrryyyyyyyy." Brayden whined, pouting.

"Brayden shush," Melody snapped. "Alphys is about to say something."

"Do you… like… anime?" Alphys asked, with the most awkwardness you've ever seen in your whole life.

"I don't like anime," Percy answered. His eyes (which you can't even seen 95% of the time) were full of ironic fan tears. "I BREATHE anime."

"ME TOO!" Alphys squealed. They squealed together for nearly a minute.

"That was the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen." Melody face-palmed.

"I have a feeling this is just the beginnin'…" Clover said, biting her lip.

Suddenly the kids and Alphys were all teleported to the Garbage Dump, because this a ponystoriesandothers fanfic and also because they go there in the game and it's cannon and all the rest.

"Here we are!" Alphys said, acting like they had just walked there rather than been magically teleported. "Undyne and I come here all the time…"

"Does anyone actually care that we were literally just teleported?" Melody asked, furrowing her brows.

"We find all sorts of great stuff here," Alphys continued, as if she didn't hear Melody. "Heh, she's really… uh…."

"... I think someone's got a cruuuush." Faye said, smirking at Alphys. The monster blushed.

"OOOH!" Brayden said teasingly. He looked confused. "Wait, who's got a crush?!"

"You," Melody answered, looking at him. "Oh, and Alphys."

"OOOOOHH ALPHYS HAS GOT A CRUUUUUSH!" Brayden said teasingly. "AND SO DO- HEY, WAIT WHAT?!"

"ALPHYS HAS A CRUSH?!" Undyne yelled from another part of the dump.

"Oh no no no…" Alphys began sweatbeading. "I… I c-can't let her see me on a date with you guys!"

"There's a trash can right behind you." Faye said. The trash can dabbed intimidatingly, which was somehow possible. Alphys hid behind the cringey trash can. Undyne came over as soon as she did.

"Hey!" she said. She was wearing a black leather jacket over a plain t-shirt, black pants, and boots. "There you guys are! I, uh, realised, if you deliver that thing… it might be a bad idea. So I'm gonna do it! Give it to me!"

"We… uh…." Cody looked away awkwardly. "We… may've already given it to Alphys..."

Melody added, "And found out she has a crush on- OWIE!" She was interrupted by Faye poking her side. Melody scowled at her. Faye shrugged, still smirking. Alphys was shaking. The trash can was dabbing.

"Who's 'Owie'?!" Undyne asked, looking aggressive.

"Thomas the Tank Engine." Faye answered.

"What?!" Undyne looked confused.

"Alphys isn't here," Faye lied, with a small smirk. "You'll need to keep looking around... for a little longer."

"Alright, thanks." Undyne said. She walked off.

"I feel like you have something planned." Melody said, eyeing Faye.

"Maybe, maybe not." Faye replied, now the queen of smirking.

"I… I guess it's obvious…" Alphys sighed, re-emerging from behind the dabbing trash can. "I… uh… really like her. I mean, more than I like other people!"

"Because you have a crush on her," Percy said. He was breathing heavily. "This ship is already my new OTP. I… I have to resist the urge to write fanfiction…"

"If you like Undyne so much, why'd you go on a date with us?" Clover asked. "I mean, Undyne actually wrote-"

DATING. TROLL.

"I give up." Clover face-palmed.

"Undyne wrote the letter…?" Alphys asked. Her eyes widened. "Why didn't you guys say anything?"

"I was darn trying, I tell ya what." Clover ground through gritted teeth.

"W-well, I j-just figured, you know… it'd be f-fun to go on like, a cute, kind of… pretend date with you guys?" Alphys answered. "T-to make you feel better?" She paused. "It sounds even worse when I put it like that."

"N-not at all!" Cody retorted. "I think that was very nice of you." He smiled.

"She's lying to herself, so it's not really that nice." Melody pointed out.

"I… I'm sorry…" Alphys sighed. "I messed up again."

"Don't apologize," Melody sighed. "You can't date seven human kids at once anyway. It's… just weird. And probably, well… what's the word, Percy?"

"Pedophilia." Percy answered.

"Yes, that," Melody said. She smiled at Alphys. "But don't worry. We'll help you get with the girl."

"R-really…?" Alphys asked.

"Sure." Melody replied. She made a face. "I mean, I'm no love expert or anything, but we can try. I think they know a bit about love." She turned around, looking for the eighth human. Frisk was hanging out in the shadows. Melody gave them a look. "Don't you?"

Frisk didn't respond. Melody narrowed her eyes.

"Well…" she said. "We'll figure something out."

"Wow, t-thank you…" Alphys blushed. "You guys… you guys are the best. But… what if she doesn't… like me back? I… I've told her so many lies. She thinks I'm a lot cooler than I actually am. I'm the Royal Scientist, and yet… all I've done is hurt people. If she gets close to me, she'll… she'll find out the truth about me."

"Hey," Cody patted her shoulder. "You'll be okay. I think if she really cares about you, she'll forgive you. And I can tell… she cares about you a lot."

"... I… " Alphys sweat-beaded. "... I guess… I guess you're right. Hiding isn't going to help anyone. I'll never be happy with myself like this. Not if the people learn the truth by themselves…" She paused. "But… how can I tell UNDYNE the truth…? I d-don't have the confidence… I'm going to mess it up! How can I practice?"

"Obviously let's roleplay," Melody replied. Alphys gasped, but Melody held up a hand. "Not you, Alphys. You watch and learn." She looked at her friends. "Okay, Faye, you're going to be Alphys, and Brayden, you can be Undyne. 'Alphys', you have to tell 'Undyne' you want to talk to 'her' about something. 'Undyne', you ask what 'Alphys' wants to talk about. 'Alphys', you say you haven't been truthful with 'Undyne', and you calmly tell 'her' how you feel. Okay?"

"Uh…" Faye blushed, biting her lip. "O-okay!"

"Wait, what am I doing again?!" Brayden asked. Melody sighed.

...

"Um… hi, Undyne…" Faye said, looking at Brayden. "How are you?"

"I'M GOOD! NGAHHH!" Brayden yelled, punching the ground. "WHY DO YOU LOOK LIKE FAYE, ALPHYS?!"

"Brayden dammit," Melody face-palmed. "We're pretending Faye is Alphys, remember?"

"OH, RIGHT, FORGET I ASKED THAT." Brayden said, sweatbeading.

"Um…" Faye looked at her feet. "So… um… I have to talk to you about something…"

"What's up?" Brayden asked.

"The ceiling." Faye responded, smirking.

"Ugh!" Melody face-palmed. "You're both terrible!"

Clover snorted into her hand.

"CLOVER YOU'RE NOT MAKING THIS ANY EASIER!" Melody yelled. Clover rolled her eyes.

"Well…" Faye gulped. "I… I… um…" She paused, then suddenly gasped dramatically. "Oh, forget it! U-Undyne! You're so brave, and strong, and confident, and nice, a-and… and you always listen to me when I'm sad, and you make me feel better about everything… you're the reason I didn't climb up Mt. Ebott so long ago!" She breathed in. "U… UNDYNE! I knew you were at that new school for ages! B-but I was too scared to talk to you so I strayed away from you… but then… but then I missed you, so I wanted to be friends with you again… and you were so nice to me, and it made me happy, and I…" She fell to her knees, tears in her eyes. "You've always been so protective and caring towards me… I'm… I'm just some loser… some stupid girl. You deserve a way better best friend. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for lying to you. And I'm sorry for being such a loser."

"I take back what I said about you being terrible," Melody said, raising her brow. "That was some of the best acting I've ever seen, Faye!" She started clapping. Percy was fanboying. Clover and Cody started clapping as well. Even Alphys joined in. Frisk broke their facade for a moment to give Faye a small smile.

"What if I wasn't acting…?" Faye mumbled quietly.

Brayden stared at Faye, a blank expression on his face. He held out his hand, helping her to her feet.

"Alphys," he said, sounding oddly calm. "You're not a loser."

"R… really?" Faye asked, looking into his eyes.

"YOU'RE JUST A CUTE PUNK!" Brayden responded, giving Faye a noogie.

"Oh come on," Percy groaned. "I thought they would kiss!"

"I don't approve of children kissing." Melody said. [A/N: Neither do I, sorry folks.]

"WHO'S A CUTE PUNK?!" Undyne asked, racing over. She looked at Alphys, who started blushing. "Hey, woah, wait a second! Your outfit's really cute!" She paused. "Wait a second… are you guys… on a date?"

"UHH, YES!" Alphys shrieked. "I mean, UHH NO! I mean we were, but- I mean Brayden and Faye were romantically roleplaying as you and I!"

"WHAT?!" Undyne asked.

"I MEAN!" Alphys squeaked. "I mean… Undyne… I… I've been lying to you!"

"WHAT?! ABOUT WHAT?!" Undyne asked.

Alphys sighed. "About… well… everything! I told you that seaweed was like… scientifically important… honestly, I just use it to make ice cream!"

"Eww." Melody cringed.

"And those human history books I keep reading…" Alphys continued. "Those are just dorky comic books! And the history movies… those… those are just anime! They aren't real! And that time I told you I was busy with work on the phone I… was just eating frozen yogurt in my pajamas! That time I…"

"Alphys…" Undyne said.

"I… I just wanted to impress you!" Alphys squeaked. "I just wanted you to think I was smart and cool. That I wasn't some… nerdy loser."

"Alphys." Undyne said again.

"Undyne, I really think you're neat, okay…" Alphys blushed. Undyne kneeled down. She began patting Alphys comfortingly, her arms around Alphys' head.

"Alphys… shh…" she said calmly. "Shhh."

"It's happening Melody it's happening." Percy gasped, clinging onto Melody. She sighed. Suddenly, Undyne picked up Alphys and dunked her into the dabbing trash can.

"Welcome to my SPESHUL HELL." I (the memelord) said, sprinkling memes everywhere.

Alphys looked like she'd rather be anywhere else.

"Alphys!" Undyne yelled. "I… think you're neat, too, I guess. But, you've gotta realise… most of what you said doesn't matter to me. I don't care if you're watching kid cartoons or reading history books. To me, ALL of that stuff is just nerdy crap!"

"I SECOND THAT!" Brayden yelled.

"Brayden shush." Melody grumbled.

"What I like about you is that you're PASSIONATE!" Undyne continued. "You're ANALYTICAL! It doesn't matter what it is! YOU CARE ABOUT IT! 100-PERCENT! AT MAXIMUM POWER!" She paused. "... so, you don't have to lie to me. I don't want you to have to lie to anyone anymore. Alphys… I want to help you become happy with who you are! And I know just the training you need to do that!"

Alphys poked her head out of the trash can, ignoring the… whatever it is spreading memes. "Undyne… you… y-you're gonna train me...?"

"Pfft, what?" Undyne asked. "ME?"

Suddenly Papyrus emerged, all decked out in active wear. It said 'Jogboy' on his chest.

"Nah, I'm gonna get Papyrus to do it." Undyne said. Alphys looked incredibly unamused.

"What. The. Hell." Melody face-palmed.

"Bro don't look," Clover covered Cody's eyes. "It's too Fayebulous for ya to handle."

Cody didn't protest.

"GET THOSE BONES SHAKIN'!" Papyrus yelled. "IT'S TIME TO JOG 100 LAPS, HOOTING ABOUT HOW GREAT WE ARE!"

"Ready?" Undyne asked. "I'm about to start the timer!"

"U… Undyne…" Alphys squeaked. She wore an expression similar to Frisk's. "I'll do my best!" She and Papyrus left. There was a moment of silence between the kids and Undyne.

"OH MY GOD!" Undyne suddenly shouted. "She was kidding, right?! Those cartoons… those comics… those are still REAL, right?! ANIME'S REAL, RIGHT?!"

The kids looked at each other.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Brayden yelled. He looked at Faye. "FAYE, IS ANIME REAL?!"

"Um…" Faye looked away frantically. She stared at Percy. "Percy, is… anime real?"

"The question I have been waiting for 3 years and 126 days to answer has finally come," Percy declared, dramatic music randomly playing in the background. "And the answer is….. it depends if you're a weeaboo or not. I am certainly a weeaboo, so it's real for me." His eyes sparkled. "And always will be."

"And if you're a sensible and realistic person, then you know anime is NOT real." Melody said, folding her arms. "It's just Japanese cartoons."

"MELODY!" Percy gasped, falling over. "HOW DARE YOU DISGRACE ME LIKE THIS!"

"WAIT, ANIME IS JUST JAPANESE CARTOONS?!" Undyne asked. "MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN A LIE!" She paused. "But… hey, thanks for being honest with me. I'll learn to live with this revelation. SOMEHOW!"

"You're welcome." Melody replied. Percy was giving her the stink eye, even though you can't even freaking see his eyes.

"Uhh, thanks for taking care of Alphys." Undyne said. "I didn't get to say what I wanted to, but… things seem like they're gonna get better for her. Well, I gotta go catch up with them! Later!" She walked off. The kids glanced at each other.

"... welp, that happened." Clover said.

"What now?" Cody asked. The kids looked at Frisk, who was walking away.

"Where are they off to now?" Melody asked. The kids followed them. Brayden twitched, his teeth gritted.

"HEY!" he shouted. "WAIT!"

The kids stopped and stared at him.

"FAYE!" Brayden said, looking at Faye. "I… UM… I wanna talk to you…! Privately…!" He glared at the other kids. "SO CLEAR OFF EVERYONE WHO'S NOT FAYE!"

"No need to be so rude about it." Melody grumbled.

"Let's just let them be alone." Percy said. He seemed slightly excited about something. So everyone who wasn't Faye or Brayden left.

Brayden looked at Faye. He opened his mouth to say something.

"Wait," Faye said, holding up her hand. "The chapter's finished now."

"'Chapter'?" Brayden asked, tilting his head.

"THAT'S ALL FOLKS!" the trashcan bum suddenly said, flying in front of everyone. "SEE YOU NEXT CHAPTER!"


	41. Brayden and Faye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR 1,000 HITS! :D
> 
> I forgot to say this last week, but I have tumblr now: fridayhater. I mainly just re-blog memes and art, but I do post some of my own stuff up there as well. ;) Feel free to check it out!
> 
> Also I have passed 100 watchers on deviantART, whoohoo! Thank you! I'm doing an 'Ask the OCs' thing over there (and on Tumblr too) so if you want you can ask questions to the characters in this fanfic and other fanfics of mine. ;)

Faye seemed slightly nervous. She stared off into the distance where the waterfall was.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Brayden asked, catching her glance.

"Just the waterfall," Faye replied. "It's really pretty. It's so shiny and rushes quickly. It bubbles so… oh, I love the sound it makes..."

"Just looks like water to me." Brayden shrugged.

"It is water," Faye replied. "But when it's falling like that… it's beautiful."

"I… guess?" Brayden said, shrugging once again.

"I'm sorry," Faye sighed. "You don't really care… that's okay." She looked at him. "What did you want to talk about?"

Brayden cleared his throat. "Well, I… um… actually kinda wanted to ask you something." He paused. "Y'know when we were pretending to be Undyne and Alphys and you… said a bunch of stuff… kinda sounded you like, LIKED me…" His cheeks were a faint red. "... were you being serious?"

"..." Faye looked down. "... I j-just… think you're a really good best friend..."

"Of course you do!" Brayden grinned. "I'm the BEST best friend!" He gave her a noogie. "And you're the second best best friend! And to me, you're my best BEST friend!"

"Thanks…" Faye smiled. "I… I don't think I'm a good friend though…"

"No way!" Brayden retorted. "You're AWESOME!"

"Not really…" Faye sighed. "I'm… I'm just a weird loser."

"You're really quiet, but you're not a loser." Brayden replied, folding his arms.

Faye shook her head. "You… you just… don't know the truth about me. That's the only reason you care about me. Because you just think I'm… a quiet girl who likes her Faye-bulous puns." She winked. "But… in reality… I'm horrible."

"NO YOU'RE NOT!" Brayden retorted. "I MEAN THAT PUN WAS PRETTY BAD BUT YOU'RE NOT!"

"Stop doing that!" Faye suddenly grumbled. She sighed, looking away. "Please, just… stop being so…. nice to me. I get that you don't like seeing people feeling down, but… I don't deserve those chances. I really don't, Brayden." Brayden looked like he was about to say something, but Faye stopped him. "Don't tell me you don't agree with me. Don't tell me I'm great or nice or cool or whatever. Just… if you're going to say anything…" she sighed. "Be honest with me. If… if there's something you've been wanting to tell me for a while and haven't… then tell me that."

There was a pause. Finally Brayden cleared his throat.

"Honestly… I'm… kinda worried about you," he admitted. "You act kinda creepy sometimes. It's like you… know something crazy's going on."

Faye looked down, her hair covering her eyes. Eventually, she looked up.

"... what if Flowey wasn't completely lying?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Whaddya mean?" Brayden asked, making a face.

"Nevermind…" Faye replied, turning away.

"C'mon Faye, you don't have to hide anything from me!" Brayden said, putting an arm around Faye's shoulder. "WE'RE FRIENDS! You can tell me whatever you want!"

"... this is different, Brayden…" Faye said quietly. "I… I… I just… I…" She breathed in shakily. "I'm sorry… you won't understand."

"TRY ME!" Brayden yelled, holding up a fist.

"No… maybe you will understand, but…" Faye sighed. "I just don't want you to understand."

"Why?!" Brayden asked.

Faye sighed. "Because if you do… I… I'm scared… I'm scared you…"

"Scared I'll what?" Brayden asked.

"... I'm scared you won't like me anymore." Faye mumbled. "I'm scared you'll think I'm a loser, or… a bad person, or… you'll hate me."

"I'd NEVER hate you!" Brayden retorted, lightly punching Faye's shoulder with a reassuring grin.

"But what if you do?" Faye asked, sweating. "Y… you don't know anything… I… don't want to lose you…" She thought, not when you mean so much to me…

"I know because I CARE about you, Faye," Brayden said. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "You think some big secret's gonna keep us apart? HECK no! Clover got herself expelled but you don't see me running away from her, eh? You're good, Faye. Okay?!"

Faye blushed and looked down. She gazed at Brayden's hand in hers and felt a feeling of bliss. She looked at his face and admired that grin he always wore. She felt her heart pump and her face heat up. But she knew she was ready.

It was time to tell the truth.

"... oh…" Faye sighed. "Alright then. W-Well… a long time ago… I… began having dreams. These dreams were… kind of weird. I dreamt about… this place. The Underground. I dreamt about monsters and humans… then I kept having dreams about… all these timelines, and… other strange things… I didn't understand any of it. I didn't think much of it either so I kept all those things to myself. Then, eventually… I realised." She paused. "These things were our future."

"Waiiiitttt, you can SEE THE FUTURE?!" Brayden asked, raising his brow.

"... kind of," Faye said. "I mean, I didn't know these things were our future... until I saw them." She made a face. "They appeared in a few of my dreams. They didn't say much, but they… they were doing a lot of horrible things…"

"Who?" Brayden asked. "Chara?"

"No, not Chara," Faye said. "But I did see Chara. They were just watching them, looking very sad."

"Watching who?" Brayden asked.

"The eighth human." Faye replied.

"Who the heck is that?" Brayden asked.

"The stick kid," Faye answered, with a subtle smirk. She sighed. "They didn't seem like much of a nice person in my dreams. But then… we actually met them. And they were much nicer than I thought. They led us up Mt. Ebott… and that's when I realised all my dreams were future events. And I realised so many other things as well." She paused. "I've known about RESETS and SAVES for a long time. I know we actually did fight Asgore, but since we all died, the eighth human reset."

"REALLY?!" Brayden asked.

"Why didn't any of you guys remember?" Faye asked. She sighed. "I guess… that reset was... different."

There was a pause. Faye noticed Brayden tensing up.

"Why didn't you say anything about this BEFOREHAND?!" he suddenly asked. "You could've, like, helped us all out! We might not EVEN BE DOWN HERE! YOU COULD'VE STOPPED ALL THAT!"

Faye shivered. Guilt washed through her. She choked up.

"I was… too scared," she admitted. "The future is never guaranteed, Brayden. I didn't want to mess anything up."

"UGHH!" Brayden growled, standing up. "Seriously?! You're such… you're such a WIMP! Why don't you tell anyone ANYTHING?!"

"I knew this would happen…" Faye sighed. She looked sad. "You already hate me."

"Do you know that 'cause of your future powers or whatever?" Brayden asked. He scowled. "BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE RIGHT!"

Faye looked hurt. She wiped her eyes. "I think so too…" She stood up. "I'm sorry..." She ran away, hiding her face.

"YEAH!" Brayden yelled, sounding angry. "RUN! Y-YOU COWARD!"

He walked over to a pile of garbage and punched it. The garbage floated all around him like a river. He ended up getting covered in it too.

"STUPID!" He yelled, punching more garbage. "COWARD! USELESS!" He threw some over the edge of the waterfall. He continued yelling and punching things, mess everywhere. He refused to cry. He wasn't weak. Not like her.

"Brayden?" a voice suddenly asked him. He turned around and saw Cody behind him, nervously waving with a smile. "Are you okay?"

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE CODY?!" Brayden asked. He wouldn't admit it, but Cody suddenly appearing scared him.

"Well, my sister and Melody started arguing about the stick kid, and Percy couldn't decide who to side with so he went off to be by himself," Cody said. "I couldn't stop them arguing so I sneaked off and… I heard you yelling…"

"Ohhhh." Brayden replied, his brow raised.

"Where's Faye?" Cody asked.

"WHO CARES?!" Brayden asked furiously, clenching his fists. He looked like he wanted to punch something again.

"Oh, but… s-she's Faye…" Cody, frowning. "Your best friend. Aren't you worried about her?"

Brayden gritted his teeth. "She's a LIAR!"

"How so?" Cody asked, now curious.

"She has this power of seeing the future in her dreams, but she didn't tell anyone about it until NOW!" Brayden grumbled. "She doesn't tell anyone ANYTHING! She's just a coward!" He sounded furious. "If she TOLD US ALL ABOUT HER POWER, WE'D STILL BE HOME! WE WOULDN'T BE NEAR DEATH! WE WOULDN'T BE STUCK DOWN HERE IN THIS STUPID GARBAGE DUMP!" He punched more garbage, still trying not to cry. "DON'T YOU GET IT, CODY?! SHE COULD'VE SAVED US IF SHE SAID SOMETHING! BUT SHE DOESN'T BECAUSE 'Ooh, I'm scared people will judge me'!" He breathed heavily. "COWARD!"

Cody knew the problem. Brayden just wanted to go home.

"Oh Brayden…" Cody walked over to Brayden. "I think Faye kept her power a secret to protect herself as well. If everyone knew about it, the g-government or something might use her power to their advantage! They might take her away and you'd never see her again." He made a face. "Worse, they might think s-she's a monster or something terrible and k… do something really bad to her!"

Brayden kept his teeth gritted.

"I don't think Faye would've liked us all to fall down here," Cody said. "... but… who knows? Maybe she knew that the future would be worse if she didn't keep her power a secret. Maybe this was the better outcome."

"WHY ARE YOU BEING SO NICE TO HER?!" Brayden snapped, glaring at Cody. "MAYBE SHE COULD'VE SAID SOMETHING TO ANYONE, MAYBE-"

"Brayden," Cody held up his hands. "I don't think that Faye's completely in the right. I do think she could've done better. A lot better. She's not perfect." He sighed. "But look at monsters. A lot of them tried to kill us, but once we got to know them… we learned a lot of them were nice. We gave them a second chance. And look what happened! We became friends with them." He smiled. "If you gave monsters a second chance… it's not so hard to give Faye one too, right?"

"B-but…" Brayden made a face. "We've only known monsters for… however long we've been down here. I've known Faye for AGES! If she had something to hide she would've said it ages ago! IT'S DIFFERENT, OKAY?!"

"You've known Faye longer than you've known monsters, that's true," Cody said. "But that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to be forgiven. She doesn't think very highly of herself… but she loves seeing you go out and be brave. She told me that once. She thinks you're amazing! She'd forgive you in a heartbeat. And she doesn't want you to think she's a bad person. You mean quite a lot to her."

"I…" Brayden looked away.

"Brayden," Cody said. "Faye really cares about you. She'd never want to hurt you. I just know it." He smiled. "Is your friendship really worth breaking over this one mistake?"

"I…" Brayden sighed, slumping down. "I… I'm an idiot, aren't I…" His voice was strained. "Damn… why did I…"

"It's okay," Cody said, kneeling down next to him. "You deserve a second chance too. It'll be okay."

"CODY YOU'RE A FRIGGEN LIFESAVER!" Brayden cheered, putting his arm around Cody's neck and hugging the poor boy too hard. "LITERALLY AND, UM, METAPHORICALLY! LIKE HOW DO YOU KEEP DOING THAT?!"

"I do my best!" Cody blushed. He coughed, visibly uncomfortable. "Um, please let me go!"

"Heh," Brayden chuckled nervously and let Cody go. Cody anxiously rubbed his head. "Anyway, I owe you big time, dude. But right now I gotta go and find my best friend." He stood up and held out his fist. "LATER MAN!" He ran off, searching for his best friend.

Faye sobbed into her palms. She was sitting in the area where she and Frisk played Go Fish… who even knows how long ago? It didn't matter. She felt terrible. Her own best friend thought she was horrible. If even Brayden didn't care about her… then what did she have left? She kept crying. She thought about how much Brayden meant to her. She knew despite how loud and impatient he could be, he was a very caring and compassionate person. He cared about her too. And his life on the surface.

Faye knew why he was upset. She'd feel the same way. And she hadn't even told him everything about her...

"Yeah," she said, with a small smirk. "You haven't heard anything yet." She paused. "You want to know more? … heh. Be patient for a little longer, 'readers'. But I'll tell you this: I dreamt about much, much more than the future."

She stared at the ceiling and wiped away some of her tears. She laughed softly.

"I bet you thought we were going to kiss," she sighed. "O-or something. I… I'm sorry. I guess it just isn't going to happen… not when he hates me."

"Really?" a voice asked. Faye looked up and saw Percy, clutching his notebook to his chest. He sounded as unenthusiastic as ever. "But… you and Brayden are my OTP." Percy paused. "... were you talking to me?"

"... maybe." Faye said, winking at you, dear reader! ;)

"... I suppose I will accept that answer." Percy said. He fiddled with his notebook. "So, you're here because you don't want to be near Brayden, yes?"

"... yeah." Faye said. "I… I think he hates me."

"Why is that?" Percy asked.

"I… I just… lied about some things." Faye sighed. Her dreams hadn't told her anything about this. She wished they did. She choked up once more.

"I'm not very knowledgeable about emotional feelings, but I don't think he would genuinely hate you that quickly," Percy said. "And even if he did, he tends to have short bursts of anger, then he is not mad anymore. I have taken notes on behaviour. That doesn't mean I understand it. I don't. But this is the best I can give you."

"It was very nice of you to try, Percy…" Faye said. "Thank you."

"Oh," Percy said. He flipped through his notebook. "Perhaps try… 'reminiscing'?"

Faye flashed back to when she and Brayden first met ages ago, back in the first year of school…

...

Faye was sitting by herself at the back of the classroom. She was too shy to approach anyone and other students thought she was a bit weird, so they didn't approach her. So she was alone most of the time. She played with her hair. Back then, her ribbon was brand new and her hair was almost completely covering her face. She was wearing a dress instead of a shirt and pants. It was white and had two cyan stripes on the chest.

Faye was daydreaming. She'd had a funny dream the previous night, and she couldn't get her little mind off it…

"HEY!" a squeaky voice yelled in front of her. Faye nearly fell out of her chair. A boy was standing in front of her. He was wearing a bandanna that was way too big for his head and his light-brown hair was a mess. He was wearing pink, cotton gloves instead of leather ones. He had a bandage on his elbow. He was somewhat covered in mud and Faye noticed he had a booger in his nose.

"Um… hi…" Faye said quietly back, her voice barely above a whisper.

"WHAT?" the boy asked, very loudly. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"I-I, um… s-said… hi." Faye squeaked, looking down with a blush. She hoped the boy wouldn't ask her again. She felt embarrassed enough already.

"Whatcha doin'?!" the boy asked.

"I-I don't r-really k-know…" Faye whispered.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOOOOOUUUUUUU!" the boy whined.

"I…" Faye bit her lip. "I… I don't really know…"

"WHAT?!" the boy asked. Faye simply responded with a small shrug. The boy poked his tongue out. He then paused for a moment.

"You look kinda lonely," he said. Faye was relieved he wasn't yelling anymore. "Do you have any friends?"

"... not really…" Faye said sadly.

"Yeah, me too," the boy said. Faye found that surprising. "I just moved here, so I don't know anyone. And I saw you hanging out back here and you looked kinda sad, and being sad SUUCCKKKKSS so I came over!"

"... oh," Faye said. She felt… kind of happy. "That's… really nice… of you."

The boy grinned. "Wanna be friends?!"

"U-um, okay…" Faye said, with a small smile.

"YEAH!" the boy cheered. "What's your name, by the way?! I'M BRAYDEN!"

"... my name is….. Faye…." Faye mumbled.

"WHHAAAAAAATTTT?!" Brayden asked.

Faye smirked. She didn't dream about this, but she had a feeling she and Brayden would be friends for a long time.

Faye realised she was crying again. Percy was watching her, looking very unsure about the situation.

"I'll… leave you alone." he said. He walked away. Faye continued crying. She missed her best friend. She wanted him to come back. She suddenly knew what she had to do. She had to apologise. She had to say this was all a joke. She didn't have any powers. She had to lie. If that would make him understand…

No. Lying didn't help anyone. Alphys knew it. And Faye knew it too. She just needed to apologize. So she stood up and began searching for her best friend… and her crush.

"Brayden?" she called out. "I'm… really sorry! I'm sorry I lied to you, I'm sorry I kept so much to myself… I just… I just didn't want anyone to hate me! I… I didn't want to lose you…" She gulped, tears forming in her eyes once again. "If you're… anywhere… I just want to see you again! Brayden? Brayden?!"

"So she's NOT here?" Brayden asked Napstablook.

"No…." Napstablook replied. "Sorry…."

"UGH!" Brayden groaned. He walked off, shoulders slumped. "FAYE?!" He walked over to Napstablook's snail farm. He picked a snail up and brought it to his face. "You seen my best friend? She's got blonde hair and a red ribbon."

The snail shrugged. It jumped out of Brayden's hand, doing a somersault and getting a perfect landing.

"What about YOU?!" Brayden pointed at another snail. "Have you seen my best friend?"

The snail (somehow) pointed in another direction. Brayden gave it a thumbs up and went that way. He kept calling out Faye's name.

"FAYE?" he yelled. "HEY, I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO GET MAD AT YOU! I MEAN I'M STILL KINDA MAD BUT YOU DESERVE ANOTHER CHANCE!"

He walked through a bunch of plants, glowing particles floating around his head. He remembered coming here a while back. Then he heard something. A girl's voice. But not just any girl's voice.

"Faye?!" he yelled. He ran towards it, shoving past tons of glowing plants.

...

Faye would recognise that voice anywhere. For once she ran towards it, ignoring how pretty the space was around her. For now, that didn't matter. For once, it didn't matter. Because… she saw him again.

The kids stared at each other for a bit. They got closer to each other, before giving each other a tight hug and repeating their apologies like broken records.

"Look, I was WAYYYY TOOO mean and I don't hate you, I just think you could try a little harder," Brayden said, hugging Faye like he never wanted to let her go. "Okay?! I'm SORRY! DON'T RUN OFF ON ME!"

"I should've said something earlier, it's all my fault…" Faye sobbed into Brayden's shoulder. "I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…"

"I'll give you another chance," Brayden said, patting her head. "You can thank Cody for that. He talked me into it."

"Percy told me to reminisce…" Faye said. She made a face. "That… helped me understand…"

"Percy of all people?" Brayden asked, laughing. "Not bad." He slowly let Faye go, shaking his arms. The two looked at their shoes. They were both blushing.

"I guess we should go back to the others now, heh," Brayden said, chuckling nervously. "We've been away for ages!"

"... yeah," Faye shrugged half-heartedly. She sounded… slightly disappointed.

"You okay?" Brayden asked her, sounding a bit concerned.

"I… I just wanted to be alone with you for a bit longer…" Faye admitted.

"Heck yeah, we can do that," Brayden smiled at her. "The others won't mind us taking a little longer."

Brayden and Faye walked around Waterfall for a bit longer. They eventually sat down in the place with the sparkly ceiling. Brayden had to admit, the glimmering stones were quite an eye-catcher. Both of the kids could see why monsters liked them.

Faye rested her head on Brayden's shoulder. He put his arm around her, bringing her closer.

"Hey, Faye," Brayden said, his voice calm. Not a frequent occurrence. "Y'know before when you told me to be honest with you? … well, there's… um, actually something I didn't tell you."

"What is it?" Faye asked, gently grabbing his arm.

For once, Brayden's voice was barely above a whisper. But it didn't matter, because Faye heard the words clearly:

"I love you."

Faye blushed, but then smiled. "I love you too."

The two lost track of the time they spent sitting there, silently hugging each other. But it didn't matter. When they had each other, they both knew it would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I give you permission to post your 40-paragraph fangirl/boy squeal in the comments section. XD


	42. Mini chapter: But they kept smiling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHOUT OUT TO TOPAZSTARV ON FANFICTION.NET FOR THEIR 40 PARAGRAPH FANGIRL SQUEAL! XD
> 
> This chapter is kinda short and boring but don't worry... next chapter... things get... interesting. ;)

Melody held up her hand. "Rock… Paper… Scissors-"

"It's paper scissors rock," Clover grunted, also holding up her hand.

"It is not," Melody grumbled. Frisk stepped between the kids before they had yet another argument, their arms folded. They had dropped their stoic facade and returned to their previous one. They couldn't help themself.

They were staring at the girls with discontent.

"They're right," Melody sighed. "We really need to stop arguing. We should do something."

Frisk nodded, happy the girls were finally changing their mindset.

"Then what?" Clover asked, folding her arms.

Melody gasped. "How about we go out somewhere? It could be like, a girls' night out!"

"No." Clover grumbled. "First of all, just no. I don't do that stuff. Secondly, there's just the two of us - Faye ain't here. And plus… what about my bro? I can't just-"

"Clover your brother is fine," Melody sighed. "He's with Percy and Percy doesn't have a sense of adventure. Secondly, we're not going to do anything 'girly'. We're just going to, well, enjoy ourselves for a bit. And finally…" She pointed at Frisk. "We don't need Faye. We've got the stick kid. They can be our honorary girl."

Frisk made a face.

"Hmm…" Clover frowned. "But my bro-"

"Yes Cody can get himself into trouble, but he's got Percy and besides, he's an amazing healer," Melody said. "He can look after himself. And if we really need to go back for him we can. Okay?"

"... fine," Clover sighed after some silent debate. She tilted her head. "Where are we goin'?"

"Hotland." Melody answered.

Clover cracked her knuckles. "Good. We can go and give that Muffet a talking to."

Melody frowned. "No, Clover. I know what she did, but it was partly Cody's fault. He made her very angry." She gasped. "I've got an idea! We should go and apologize to her!"

"... apologize." Clover ground through gritted teeth, her fists clenched. "No way."

"Oh come on," Melody grumbled. She pointed at Frisk, who was smiling. "They think it's a good idea, and so do I. It'll be better for everyone. We don't want to leave the underground with the nagging feeling of a monster's hatred on our backsides, do we?"

"There's no way I'm apologising to someone who nearly killed my brother." Clover growled.

"That's the hard part," Melody said. "But I think you can do it, Clover. You just have to try."

Clover scowled.

"Look, I get that your brother is very important to you," Melody said. "And so is bringing him justice. But sometimes, doing the right thing is more important than that. Why start up another fight when you can end it?" She patted Clover's shoulder. "Okay?"

Clover glared at Melody. She walked away, adjusting her hat. "... you got a point, I guess. But you can't expect me to instantly say sorry to someone who nearly killed my brother."

"Let's just go there and figure it out." Melody said.

And so, the three kids headed over to Hotland. They talked a bit on the way.

"I wish I was as close to my brother as you are to yours, Clover," Melody sighed. "He just annoys the cr- um… he annoys me quite a lot. I guess I annoy him back as well. We're not nearly as protective of each other as you and your brother are."

"... you still have both your parents." Clover mumbled.

"I… I guess," Melody said quietly.

There was a pause.

"... y'know," Clover sighed. "I'm not really surprised Cody made Muffet mad. He's always getting himself into trouble without realisin' it. That's why I gotta keep an eye on him. As well as that…" She paused. "... he's the only family I have left."

"Oh Clover," Melody sighed with sympathy. "You do well, you know. Looking after Cody."

"I do what I have to." Clover answered grimly. "You do a good job looking after Brayden and Percy. And just about everyone else."

"That's my job," Melody replied, with a small smirk.

"Guess we'll have start callin' ya 'Mom'." Clover winked at her.

"Goodness!" Melody looked flushed. Frisk appeared in between the two, putting their arms around their necks. They had a big grin on their face.

"Heh," Clover ruffled the top of Frisk's head. "Glad to see you bein' happy again, kiddo."

Frisk felt a pain in their heart, but they kept smiling.

"Muffet's isn't too far from here," Melody said. "Come on."

The trio arrived at Muffet's. Clover felt her breathing tighten. Melody and Frisk both smiled reassuringly at her. She felt a little better.

The three entered the purple, cobweb-covered building. As soon as they did, a voice hissed above them.

"Well well well," Muffet appeared in front of them by hanging down from a web, an enraged yet curious look in her eight eyes. Clover gritted her teeth. Muffet was especially glaring at Frisk. "Look who's come back~"

"Yes, but for a good reason." Melody said, arms folded. "We've come to apologise."

"Apologise?" Muffet asked, tilting her head.

"On behalf of my brother and this kid," Clover said, stepping forward while glancing at Frisk. "I'd like to say… sorry. For… being a jerk to you and your business. He - they - we didn't mean any harm. We were just passing through. Yeah?"

Melody gave Clover an approving nod.

"Hmm," Muffet looked thoughtful. "Well, I did harm your brother and friend quite a lot, dearie. I guess I have a bit to be sorry for as well. I will forgive you…" Her eyes lit up. "If you buy one of my products~"

Clover made a face. "Like we have that kind of-"

Frisk interrupted her by holding up two large sacks of gold.

"... looks like we do have the money." Clover said, making a face.

"Why didn't you do that ages ago?" Melody asked, sighing. "You could've saved us so much trouble!"

Frisk shrugged, blushing. They wouldn't admit it but they had actually been mildly broke at the time. They had spent too much GOLD on that Temmie Armour...

The kids shared the wicked expensive spider donut as they headed back to Waterfall.

"Can't believe we're so close," Clover said, after gulping down a mouthful of donut. "Well… kinda close. I mean… you know, only one of us can leave."

"That's just life," Melody sighed. "But let's be hopeful. Whoever goes up to the surface will be able to shatter the Barrier and free everyone! Happy ending, right?"

Clover nodded. "True that."

Frisk kept smiling.

The trio made it back to Waterfall. They managed to find Percy and Cody, but not the remaining two. The boys reported that they didn't know where Brayden and Faye were. So the whole group searched for them.

… and they found them.

Brayden and Faye had fallen asleep while hugging each other. Some monster had put a blanket on top of them.

"Awww!" Cody smiled.

"Well well well." Clover folded her arms, smirking.

"Melody I don't know how to handle this." Percy said, breathing heavily. "It's… too… CUTE!"

"Well, I guess it is pretty cute." Melody sighed, shaking her head. Frisk looked at the two sleeping. They felt their chest tighten. A memory played in front of their eyes.

...

Chara put their head on Frisk's shoulder. They looked content. They rarely looked content.

"You will always be with me, yes?" they asked, hope in their eyes.

Frisk smiled approvingly at them.

...

Frisk lowered their head. Their face was darkened. They remembered what they had to do.

"Papyrus… wants us to go to Alphys'..." Melody said, holding up her phone. Frisk hadn't even paid attention to the phone call. But it didn't matter. They were only worried about one thing now.

Without another word, they took off, heading towards the end.


	43. Here We Are

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been waiting a while to show you guys this chapter. I hope you like it.

The kids entered the laboratory. No one was there. The only sound was the humming of the machinery.

Percy picked up a note outside the 'bathroom'. He frowned at the poor handwriting, but read it regardless.

"Hey. Thanks for your help back there. You guys… your support really means a lot to me. But… as difficult as it is to say this… you guys alone can't magically make my own problems go away. I want to be a better person. I don't want to be afraid anymore. And for that to happen, I have to be able to face my own mistakes. I'm going to start doing that now. I want to be clear. This isn't anyone else's problem but mine. But if you don't ever hear from me again… if you want to know 'the truth'. Enter the door to the north of this note. You all at least deserve to know what I did.

Percy paused. "... that's all she wrote."

"I guess I'm not the only one with things to hide." Faye mumbled.

"Well," Clover faced her friends. "Whaddya y'all say?" She seemed eager to learn 'the truth'.

"Alphys needs our help," Cody said. "We have to go in for her."

Frisk faced the door. They walked towards it, their head down.

"LET'S DO THIS!" Brayden yelled, running after them.

"But isn't that a…?" Melody asked, holding out her hand.

"HEY THIS ISN'T A BATHROOM!" Brayden yelled. "It's an elevator!"

"Guess not." Clover said, shrugging. She and the others headed towards the elevator. They entered it. The doors closed.

"Wonder what Alphys did?" Clover asked, frowning.

Percy held up his notebook. "I'm assuming-" Suddenly, the elevator began shaking and flashing red. Percy started to have a panic attack.

WARNING! WARNING! ELEVATOR LOSING POWER!

"MY SACRIFICE WON'T BE IN VAIN!" Brayden yelled. He and Faye hugged each other tightly. Cody and Melody began to panic as well, while Clover had a furious look on her face. Frisk had no reaction whatsoever.

EM TETHER STABILITY LOST!

ALTITUDE DROPPING!

There was a flash of bright light.

…

… then everything was dark. A door opened in front of the group. A faint light was shining through it.

"We… we're not dead?" Percy asked. He breathed out in relief.

"WOOHOO!" Brayden yelled, he and Faye still hugging each other. They held hands as they stood up. Melody was shaking her head and Clover was eyeing her brother. Frisk suddenly stormed out of the elevator, their head down. They were moving very quickly.

"Kid!" Clover yelped. She went after them, followed by the other kids. They all took a moment to observe the environment. It was dark and creepy with dirty walls, like some kind of basement.

"What is this place?" Cody asked, looking around. He looked at Faye. "Faye…?"

"It's a lab," Faye answered. "Alphys'... secret lab."

"Alphys has a secret lab?" Melody asked.

"It's… not a very nice place," Faye admitted quietly. "You'll see why she kept it a secret..." She looked at Brayden. He gave her an approving thumbs up.

"Still can't get over that power of yours," Clover shook her head with admiration at Faye. "Girl, you're a fortune teller."

"N-not really…" Faye blushed, looking away.

ENTRY NUMBER 1: This is it. Time to do what the king has asked me to do. I will create the power to free us all. I will unleash the power of the SOUL.

"I think it's very impressive," Cody told Faye, giving her a smile. She blushed once again.

"I… just got lucky, I guess…" she replied.

ENTRY NUMBER 2: The barrier is locked by SOUL power… unfortunately, this power cannot be recreated artificially. SOUL power can only be derived from what was once living. So, to create more, we will have to use what we have now… The SOULs of monsters.

"Where's that kid gone?" Clover asked, frowning with her arms crossed.

"I… I don't know." Faye answered shakily. "I know… something very big happens here that involves them but…"

ENTRY NUMBER 3: But extracting a SOUL from a living monster would require incredible power. Besides being impractical, doing so would instantly destroy the SOUL's host. And, unlike the persistent SOULs of humans… the SOULs of monsters disappear immediately upon death. If only I could make a monster's SOUL last…

"Something big?" Clover asked. "Like what?"

Faye looked nervous. "I… It's not a good thing… I'm hoping it won't happen, that they… that they aren't like that…"

"Hmm?" Melody asked.

ENTRY NUMBER 5: I made an interesting discovery. I was digging through old files and I found… a vat or something of the kind, full of… 'DETERMINATION'. The quality that gives human souls the strength to persist after death. The will to keep living. The resolve to change fate. I do not know where it came from. My theories is it came from the Fallen Angel. There are two parts of a human SOUL, after all: the spirit and the DETERMINATION. The Fallen Angel's SOUL must have been split into these separate parts. Someone collected their DETERMINATION and stored it.

I see how they plan to resurrect themself now. With the DETERMINATION of seven other human SOULS, their spirit will have enough power to form a physical, god-like form.

"Something's happening?" Brayden asked, eyeing Faye.

"N-nevermind…" Faye said, looking away with a frown.

The kids walked north. Ahead was a door with 4 coloured locks. A note was on the ground, and there were a few fake plants around, as well as a vending machine.

Percy adjusted his glasses as he read the note. "... elevator… lost power… enter the center door…"

"That thing?" Clover pointed at the door with the coloured locks.

"I'm assuming so." Percy replied.

"HEY!" Brayden cheered, staring at a vending machine. "CHIPS!"

He pulled out some GOLD from somewhere and put it into the vending machine. Some chisps came out. Brayden gave them an odd look.

"Chisps?" he asked. He shrugged. "Still look good!" He stuffed the whole lot into his mouth. He grinned as he swallowed the food. "THESE AREN'T BAD!"

"POWER ROOM." Percy read a sign next to the elevator.

"And that kid still isn't anywhere," Melody frowned, folding her arms. "I'm a little worried about them."

"Let's keep lookin', y'all." Clover said. She and the others followed a path, north-west of the vending machine.

ENTRY NUMBER 6: ASGORE asked everyone outside the city for monsters that had 'fallen down'. Their bodies came in today. They're still comatose. And soon, they'll all turn into dust. But what happens if I inject 'determination' into them? If their SOULS persist after they perish, then… freedom might be closer than we all thought.

"... heh," Faye had a sad smile. "If only…"

The kids approached some beds that were similar to ones in hospitals.

ENTRY NUMBER 9: things aren't going well. none of the bodies have turned into dust, so I can't get the SOULs. i told the families i would give them the dust back for the funerals. people are starting to ask me what's happening. what do i do?

Faye was eyeing the sink. She clung onto Brayden, who put his arm around her.

"What's wrong?" Clover asked, noticing the apprehensive Faye. She caught Faye's gaze and walked over to the sink herself. She turned one of the taps on. Darkish water pooled out.

"C-Clover, wait!" Faye squeaked. Clover glanced over at Faye. "When you turn on the last tap, step back."

"Why?" Clover asked, raising her brow.

"You may get hurt." Faye replied, still clinging onto Brayden. Cody came a bit closer to his sister, holding up his frying pan. Percy was staying nearby Melody. Clover turned on the third tap and stepped back. White goop came out of the tap. A creepy smile was on it.

"What in tarnation…" Clover said, eyeing the creature with horror. She reached for her gun.

Three creatures suddenly appeared in front of the humans. It was hard to decipher what on Earth they were.

"They're even scarier in real life…" Faye whimpered into Brayden's tank.

"They're not THAT scary!" Brayden retorted, but even he seemed a little shaken.

"Come join the fun." the creatures said in a creepy amalgamation of voices.

"I don't want to join 'the fun'!" Melody shrieked.

"Oh well." a Memoryhead replied. Strange white blobs expanded in size, almost consuming the souls of the children. The kids stepped back, Cody holding up his pan and Brayden with his fists. Thankfully, the creatures were able to be spared, which the kids were happy about. The creatures left behind a red key. Clover picked it up and put it on her phone's keychain.

"In there." Faye pointed at an archway.

Clover entered the archway, finding a red lock. She unlocked it using the key. A note was on the ground. She could barely make out the words.

"drain... dropped it…" she read. She tilted her head in confusion.

ENTRY NUMBER 12: nothing is happening. i don't know what to do. i'll just keep injecting everything with 'determination'. i want this to work.

Faye couldn't get rid of that… awful feeling… that something was going to go horribly wrong…

ENTRY NUMBER 13: one of the bodies opened its eyes

"That's alotta beds…" Clover commented, as the kids entered another room. Faye glanced nervously at a dog food bowl.

ENTRY NUMBER 14: Everyone that had fallen down… has woken up. They're all walking around and talking like nothing is wrong. I thought they were goners…?

The kids headed north. Faye saw something out of the corner of her eye. Black goop.

"It… it's not happening," she told herself. "They're not like that."

That awful feeling...

ENTRY NUMBER 15: Seems like this research was a dead end… but at least we got a happy ending out of it? I sent the SOULs and the vessel back to ASGORE. And I called all of the families and told them everyone's alive. I'll send everyone back tomorrow. :)

"They're good…" Faye sighed. "They're here to save us."

"Huh?" Brayden asked, staring at her.

That something...

ENTRY NUMBER 16: no No NO NO NO NO

Will go horribly wrong. =)

"What in tarnation?" Clover asked, pointing at a machine ahead of the kids. It was shaped somewhat like a heart with a chair in the middle.

"... and what is that on the floor?" Melody asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust. She was gesturing to a pool of black goop right in front of the machine. Faye was looking at it with horror. She hid behind Brayden.

"Looks like oil or something." Clover commented.

"I do not think there would be oil randomly lying around here." Percy pointed out.

"Then… what is it?" Cody asked. He bit his lip. "N-nothing bad, right?"

Faye stayed behind Brayden. He gave her a look of concern. She responded by shaking her head.

The kids heard a crash coming from somewhere behind them. They all jumped.

"What the heck was that?!" Melody shrieked.

"We'd better go and see." Clover grunted. She headed east, the kids following her. They walked past a few rooms. It appeared someone had unlocked a few of the coloured doors that were previously locked. The humans came to a dusty room with a lot of fans. White pellets were floating in the air. The kids sneezed and coughed.

"Someone turn on those fans!" Melody shrieked.

"Hold on!" Cody yelped. He pushed through the dust and found a button. He pressed it, making the dust go away.

ENTRY NUMBER 11: now that mettaton's made it big, he never talks to me anymore… except to ask when i'm going to finish his body. but i'm afraid if i finish his body, he won't need me anymore… then we'll never be friends ever again… not to mention, every time i try to work on it, i get really sweaty…

"You're a lifesaver Cody." Melody said, smiling at him. Suddenly, the white pellets came together, forming a shape. The shape of… a dog? A goopy, white dog with a drooling orifice. It began to approach Cody, who held up his pan.

"Bro!" Clover yelled. She held up her gun. "Get away from my brother ya vermin!"

She tried firing at the creature. It simply absorbed the attack.

"U-uh, g-good dog!" Cody waved his hands nervously. The creature got closer and closer. Clover glared angrily at her gun.

"Where's the stick kid when you need them?" Melody exasperated.

"I have paper," Percy said. "Paper and sticks both come from trees."

"Oh, wow, so helpful." Melody groaned sarcastically.

"SCREW IT!" Brayden held up his fist. "CODY'S SAVED MY BUTT A GAZILLION TIMES! IT'S ABOUT TIME I RETURN THE FAVOUR!"

Brayden ran over to the creature and punched right past it. He got himself covered in white goop, which was making him breathe heavily. He held out his hand, staring at Cody.

"CODY GRAB ONTO MY HAND!" he yelled. Cody obliged. Brayden pulled him past the dog, but couldn't stand up properly himself. He was covered in the goop.

"Brayden!" Cody gasped.

"I'm… fine…" Brayden replied with a thumbs up. His irises had gone… somewhat dull.

"Where's Faye gone?!" Melody asked, looking behind her. "I thought she… oh, forget it! Brayden!" She ran over to him and helped him stand up. He covered her too in goop. But for once, she didn't mind.

"You stay over there," Clover growled at the creature, who whimpered. "I won't let you touch my brother or my friend."

Faye felt bad as she stared at Brayden. She should've done something. But what she had seen was too horrible to comprehend.

Faye knew where the crash had come from. It came from a hall with a shower. She entered it slowly, hugging herself. The hall was long with the shower at the end. Black goop was everywhere - the walls, the floor, in the shower itself. The curtain was covered in the black goop - so much so it had actually turned black. Faye felt more and more nervous. She didn't want to believe it. They weren't like this…

The shower curtain shook. Sounds were coming from behind it.

Faye cautiously approached the shower and held out her hand. She pulled the curtain back, using her other hand to hold out her toy knife. Behind the curtain was…

Nothing. At least, nothing that was alive. Black goop was mixed in with a strange, white goop Faye didn't recognize and broken glass was everywhere. The shower was covered in this mess. Some of it was on the floor too.

"Oh… my…" she breathed, stepping back. "What happened…?"

She turned around and suddenly, Frisk was right behind her. Black goop was coming out of their left eye - the eye they always covered up in their powered up form. They disappeared as soon as Faye glanced at them for more than a second. She gasped and fell to her knees, covering her mouth.

"I…" she whimpered. "I… I thought…"

Suddenly, she heard yelling coming from another room. It sounded like Clover, then Brayden…

Brayden…

Faye gulped. How could she…

She ran back to the other room, only to see Brayden covered in a lot of white goop. She felt sick.

"Faye!" Melody gasped. "There you are!" She walked over to the blonde girl and put her hands on her shoulders. "Where did you go?"

"And why didn't ya say anything about this?" Clover asked angrily, pointing at her brother and Brayden.

"... I don't wanna talk about it." Faye answered. She couldn't get that image of Frisk out of her mind…

"I think he's gonna be okay…" Cody said, patting Brayden's head.

"You can't get excused for everything." Clover grumbled, glaring at Faye. Faye sighed and kneeled down next to Brayden. She wiped some of the goo off his face and gave him a tight hug. She trembled. Brayden weakly touched her shoulder.

"You'll be okay…" she whispered shakily, tears in her eyes. "It's o-okay…"

"Love ya." Brayden mumbled back, making Faye cry.

"O-oh no, I can't stand to see Faye cry…" Cody said, tears coming out of his eyes. He sat down and hugged Brayden and Faye, getting covered in goop.

"For Heaven's sake…" Melody sighed. Percy hid behind her.

"Welp," Clover shook her head. "I think we'll be alright."

ENTRY NUMBER 19: the families keep calling me to ask when everyone is coming home. what am i supposed to say? i don't even answer the phone anymore.

"What on Earth happened in here…?" Melody asked. The kids were now in a room with a bunch of fridges, which had all been turned over. Some were even destroyed. Faye shivered at the sight of the black goop.

"What in tarnation is this black stuff?" Clover asked, observing the black goop. She reached out a hand to touch some.

"Don't touch it!" Faye yelped, sweating.

"Why?" Clover asked, staring at Faye.

ENTRY NUMBER 20: ASGORE left me five messages today. four about everyone being angry. one about this cute teacup he found that looks like me. thanks asgore.

"... it's… it's just…" Faye replied, her lip trembling. She didn't want to believe it...

"Maybe the stick kid knows more?" Cody asked.

Faye tensed up.

ENTRY NUMBER 21: i spend all my time at the garbage dump now. it's my element

"We really should focus on finding that kid and getting out of here," Melody said. "I do not like this place."

The kids kept walking around. They occasionally saw footprints made out of black goop. They followed the prints, eventually coming to a long room with a bunch of dusty mirrors and pots full of golden flowers.

ENTRY NUMBER 7: We'll need a vessel to wield the monster SOULs when the time comes. After all, a monster cannot absorb the SOULs of other monsters. Just as a human cannot absorb a human SOUL… so then… what about something that's neither human nor monster?

"Golden flowers…" Faye said, looking at the flowers.

"Is this where… Flowey came from?" Cody asked.

Faye nodded slowly.

ENTRY NUMBER 10: experiments on the vessel are a failure. it doesn't seem to be any different from the control cases. whatever. they're a hassle to work with anyway. the seeds just stick to you, and won't let go…

"More of this black stuff." Clover said, suspicious. At the end of the room, nearby some mirrors, was a puddle of the black goop. The mirrors had also been smashed and were covered in cracks.

"What is all this black stuff?!" Brayden asked, making a face.

"It… it's… it's a message…" Faye said, observing the goop. She stepped back. The goop had been formed into letters.

"Message?" Clover asked.

"Yeah," Faye said. She gulped. "It says… 'watch my tape'."

ENTRY NUMBER 4: I've been researching humans to see if I can find any info about their SOULs. I ended up snooping around the castle and finding a whole lot of stuff. I found this really weird book that has a lot of info. Apparently there are these special humans SOULs called 'Pure Souls' who are recognised by their eye colour being the same colour as their SOUL. They can have powers too supposedly, but only if they get them from another source. Some are lucky to be born with them. Interesting. Pure Souls are much more powerful than regular human SOULs, so if we're lucky some might fall down here some day… I don't think the Fallen Angel was one though. They were just normal.

Anyway, as well as that I found all these weird tapes, including one that says 'to the souls'. I have no idea what it's about or what it means by 'the souls'. But it is really depressing. I should write a fanfic about it…

"I think that's the one," Melody said, holding up the tape that had the words 'to the souls' written on it. Percy was stunned at the fact that it was a VHS. "Chara wants us to watch this."

Clover gritted her teeth. "I dunno 'bout this…"

"Let's just give it a try…" Cody said. Faye nodded in agreement.

"Fine." Clover sighed. She put the VHS tape in the player. There was a bit of static before the audio began. The speaker, Chara, had a dry, raspy voice that was hard to tell whether it was male or female.

...

"Greetings. I am Chara. The First Human, or the Fallen Angel. Whatever you may refer to me as.

"I understand that you potentially dislike me a fair bit. I do not imagine Frisk has said anything kind about me. Perhaps you see me as… an enemy? Well. I am here to tell you that Frisk is not completely wrong. I am not a 'good person'. But I'm not the villain. On the contrary, I am in this timeline to save everyone.

"At this point in time I don't know how much Frisk has told you about themself. Presumably, not much. But you have spent a lot of time with them, so you must trust them dearly. So, when I tell you all that you cannot trust them… I bet you'll refuse to listen to me. But you must understand. Frisk is not on your side. They are not here to help you. They are using you. They'll use you like they used me.

"I have known Frisk far longer than you all have. I have been through so much with them. We met a long time ago, after Frisk had completed a genocide route. It wasn't their fault. It was the player - a being from… another world that controls Frisk like a puppet in certain timelines. They are the one with the power. Not Frisk. Frisk is simply their… representative.

"Anyway, the player made Frisk complete a genocide run - hundreds, thousands of them, in fact - and it upset Frisk dearly. They cared so much about their monster friends. They hated killing them over and over again. But they could not escape the player. Without the player, Frisk has no determination - which means they cannot do anything. So I came up with a compromise. I'd help Frisk make determination by themself, without the player's help. Why? I didn't want another genocide timeline either. Frisk agreed - but first gave me the determination the player had given them, so I could be more 'interactive' during their journey. And so our story began.

"Frisk and I completed many pacifist timelines together. We did enough so Frisk knew how to get their own determination and no longer would they have to rely on the player. Frisk was grateful for my assistance. Very grateful indeed. Yet, despite their freedom, Frisk still feared the player deeply. They kept their feelings a secret though, so I did not know the truth. They took advantage of their freedom, in fact, and they and I visited many Alternate Universes - together. We spent time enjoying ourselves, relaxing and… forgetting all our worries. We… we were… becoming friends. Very close friends. I'd never felt so… close to someone before aside from my best friend…

I was finally happy. I was at peace. I wanted it to stay that way forever.

But then they betrayed me.

"Frisk wanted to destroy the Player. They were too scared the Player would come back and they couldn't live with their fear anymore. So they decided they had to destroy the player with great power. To do that, they needed strength. Suddenly, they began doing multiple genocide runs in order to raise their LV. Genocide run after genocide run. And I thought they cared about monsters. I was furious, I tried to stop them, but they did not listen to me.

"It only got worse. Genocide runs were not enough. Frisk began stealing powers and abilities from the timelines we'd visited. They lost their blindness. They became talented in every single field. They could summon spears and Gaster Blasters. They had a glowing, red sword. And if that still wasn't enough, they absorbed vials of HATE to give themself even MORE power… and so they wouldn't feel so guilty when it came to being malevolent towards others. They tricked people. They lied. They stole. They loved. They killed. You name it. They went from a sweet, innocent child who was quite a doormat to… to a monster. They even took the original determination they gave me back, even though we agreed to be partners forever…

"Heh... humans… you're all the same…

"But then they got their worst idea yet. Frisk realised even with all their power, they could not make the player disappear forever. So they decided to destroy every single timeline so the player had absolutely no chance of ever returning. They were truly that paranoid.

"Once again I failed to reason with them. It was too late. Frisk had planned to enter this timeline, and at the end, they would use their power to access the 'ERASE' button - which is deep within the codes of the universe, beyond even a true reset - to destroy every timeline and universe in existence. For their last timeline ever, yes, they did want to 'relax' and enjoy themself for one last time. That is why they chose this timeline.

"I knew I could not let them get away with this. So I decided to enter this timeline as well, and I would convince everyone I was the hero, so I could get the power I needed to stop Frisk. That's where the Fallen Angel business began. Frisk needs to understand. They are no better than the Player. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

"Humans… I hate to ask for help… but I need you. I need your souls. I need them so I can save the world. In all honesty I just want to be forgotten… I do not want to exist anywhere. But the world refuses to let me go until I do what I must. So… please, do me this one favour. You'll know how to allow me to borrow your SOULs. It does not mean death. You will be able to live again. And even if it did… you died for the world, and that's something to be proud of.

"Thank you, humans. I'm sorry that it had to end this way. I will see you soon."

The kids stared at the tape for a good few moments. They were speechless.

"There's… there's no way that's true…" Clover shook her head. "No... no way…"

"I'm afraid so..." Faye looked down. "It's all true. Everything Chara said is true. All those dreams we had where Chara was speaking to Frisk, aka the stick kid… that was Chara 'reasoning' with them. Frisk knew this tape existed, so they kept their name a secret just in case we figured out the truth early… so we wouldn't think they were the enemy."

"WAIT WHAT?!" Brayden asked. He shook Faye's shoulders. "YOU KNEW THE STICK KID'S NAME ALL ALONG?! AND ALL OF THIS CRAP?!"

"I saw in my dreams…" Faye wiped her eyes. "I saw Frisk… doing a lot of horrible things. Slaughtering monsters. Slaughtering us. But then we met them in real life, and they weren't horrible at all. My dreams aren't always right, so I thought… maybe Frisk would be nice. Maybe it would be okay. I waited… and I waited too long. It's too late now. They've already become overwhelmed with too much power. They're going to destroy the world." She breathed heavily and started crying. "This… this is all my fault…"

"I… I don't want to believe it…" Cody started crying as well. "Sans… Flowey… they were right!"

"That little…" Clover gritted her teeth.

"I'M GONNA FREAKING KEBAB THEM!" Brayden yelled, putting his fist in his palm. "HEY, KID! FRISK! GET OVER HERE SO I CAN BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF YOU!"

Frisk appeared at the entrance of the room, a dark look on their face. Their eyes had gone black. Everyone stared at them with a mix of emotions. Frisk suddenly ran off, holding out their sword.

"GET BACK HERE!" Brayden yelled. He chased after them, Clover close behind. Melody stood up as well, glancing back at Percy.

Frisk entered the door with the coloured locks, which was now unlocked. They walked inside the elevator, waiting for the doors to close.

"NO!" Brayden bellowed, holding out his hand. Clover held up her gun. But it was too late. The elevator doors closed, and Frisk was gone.

"Guys," Percy said, holding up his notebook. "I think we're doomed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hue hue well I bet you weren't expecting that. ;) I've been planning this for months jeeeezzzz
> 
> I'm on school break now, which is good because I'm thinking about doing an art stream on my YouTube channel at some point. As well as that, the amount of time I go to school has changed. I'll only be going part time... no idea how to feel about that. ;p
> 
> See you guys next chapter. There's a lot, lot more to come. ;)


	44. If only...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating a little earlier to prepare for my art livestream tomorrow... if you're coming, it's at 10 AM AEST on my YouTube channel, iHateFridays :P (with the emoji).
> 
> As for now... have some feels. ;)

Darkness was… everywhere. Frisk felt it in their body, in their soul, in their mind. It consumed their every thought and every feeling. They couldn't see. Well, it had always been that way. They were blind. They had never been able to see.

So how had they come so far? Done such cruelties? Hurt so many people? It wasn't really Frisk themself. It was their guide. Their 'friend'. This being was known as 'the player' and Frisk had a great deal of respect for them. The player always knew what to do and they were always right. So why did genocide feel so… wrong?

A familiar voice went through Frisk's eardrums. Chara's voice. The Fallen Human.

"Greetings," Chara said. Frisk could tell Chara wasn't talking to them. They were talking to the player. Frisk tuned out as they heard Chara's monologue. They'd already heard it so many times and they were so sick of it they were willing to just throw their SOUL into Chara's hands and be done with it.

Frisk was forced to hand over their SOUL as they had done previously on multiple occasions. It was all because of the player, in the end.

Now Frisk would never get a happy ending.

"You do not look very happy, child." Chara said, once the player had temporarily left. Before the timeline was reset, Frisk had a few brief moments of time to themself. Though, they had to share that time with Chara.

Frisk shook their head, glancing away with a frown.

"I can understand why," Chara said. "I wish they would stop doing such horrible things too, but I do not have enough power to stop them until the very end of their run. That, or I am giving them far too many chances to stop and reset." They glanced at Frisk. "You deal with them very well, considering they control you like a puppet."

Frisk bowed their head.

"I just… don't want anyone else to die." they sighed. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. I trust the player since they are my e-eyes, I guess, but… I don't like it when they make me hurt people."

"Hmm…" Chara looked thoughtful. "Your concern gives me an idea. How about we help each other out?" They looked inquistive. "You should know, you gather your determination from the player, since you aren't born with it naturally. I will help you get determination without the player's assistance, if you give me your current determination in return." Their voice was slightly dreamy. "We will form a partnership. A working bond. You will be my partner and I will be yours. Every timeline we visit will not involve genocide. You will never have to worry about the player again and neither will I. How about it?"

"Give my determination to you?" Frisk asked. "But won't I…?"

"Your body is used to having no determination for a long duration of time," Chara said. "You'll be fine. As long as you do not try to ruin your SOUL with a substance such as HATE."

"I don't even know what that is," Frisk giggled. They tilted their head as their red SOUL floated above them. "Wait, partnership… are you saying you wanna be my friend?" They grinned.

"No, fool," Chara growled. "I do not befriend humans. I am only working with you. There is a difference."

"Aww," Frisk pouted. "But I wanted to be friends with you..."

"Well that's too bad," Chara replied. "But I'm assuming you agree to my deal?"

"I sure do, Chara!" Frisk cheered brightly. They gasped. "We should have costumes, and a theme song, and a dance routine! Wouldn't that be so cool? The Frisk and Chara dance!" They shook their hips and whipped their hair. "Uh uh uh! You can't handle the Double Team! Uh uh uh!"

"What have I gotten myself into…" Chara groaned, face-palming. "Right, give me your determination. That should cease that nonsense behaviour of yours."

Frisk was doing some kind of hula dance. They stopped and looked at where they guessed Chara was standing. "Oh, uh, sure!" They frowned, tilting their head. "... but how?"

"Like this," Chara said, holding up their hands. "I apologize in advance for any severe pain." They reached their hands into Frisk's SOUL, grabbing the energy inside. Frisk screamed, falling to their knees and clutching their chest. Chara held up a ball of red, glowing energy from Frisk's SOUL and gave it to themself. They felt themself grow much more powerful. Their grey, empty SOUL glowed a vibrant red. Meanwhile, Frisk was struggling to stand up. They were barely making any noise. Chara gave them a look of pity.

"Fear not, child," they said. "You will be dancing again soon."

Before Frisk knew it, they were lying on the patch of golden flowers at the beginning of the journey. They felt content there. Unmotivated. They could stay lying there forever…

"Human," Chara barked into their ear. Frisk nearly jumped out of their skin. "Get up. We have a journey to complete."

Frisk sat up, rubbing their head. They stared at Chara, who was a red, floating ghost. "No player…?"

"No," Chara responded. "Only me."

"Well," Frisk smirked. "I'm lucky I've got such a cute adviser."

"E-excuse me?" Chara asked, blushing. "Y-you can't even see me! You're blind!"

"Your voice is nice," Frisk replied, wiggling their eyebrows. "It's as sweet as Toriel's Butterscotch pie. And your sassy attitude… it's just…" They smacked their lips. "Perfect."

"Uggghhhhhh!" Chara continued to blush. "Quit flirting with me! We d-don't have time for this!"

"There's always time for flirting, baby." Frisk winked at Chara, getting up and doing a dance, pointing finger guns at where they guessed Chara was floating. They walked straight into a wall. They fell over and kicked their legs in the air like a bug would. "Owwwwwwwwiieeeeee ow ow ow owwwiiieeeeee."

"Ha ha!" Chara cheered. "Karma! Finally, justice has been brought to my concerns!"

"Chara I can't get up." Frisk said, still wiggling their legs around.

"Yes you can," Chara replied, crossing their arms. "You just have to try."

"I mean, I can't get up without a kiss." Frisk blew a kiss at where they guessed Chara was hovering. Chara let out another angsty scream.

"Quit being charming!" they grumbled. "We will never leave the Underground at this rate!"

"I'm happy to stay here with you, Chara." Frisk said in a silly voice.

Chara growled.

"Remember," Chara said, floating over Frisk's shoulder as they went through the RUINS. "Always choose MERCY as an option. Never kill a monster. You will pay for it."

"But they're attacking me first." Frisk pointed out.

"That is true," Chara responded. "But if there is a way to spare your foes and you choose to kill them, then murder is not justified."

"Ohhhh," Frisk said. "You're very smart, Chara."

"Not really," Chara blushed. "I just have a strong interest in law and order."

"I bet coming here makes you feel sad, huh, Chara?" Frisk asked Chara. They were inside Toriel's home. They were in the kids' bedroom.

"Do not discuss feelings with me," Chara growled, looking away.

"It's okay, Chara," Frisk said kindly. "This place makes me sad too. I wish we didn't have to leave poor Toriel behind. Oh well, at least we'll see her again later."

"You certainly are an optimist, aren't you?" Chara asked Frisk. "It's a shame you're barely a human."

"Huh?" Frisk asked, raising their brow.

"Nevermind," Chara said, looking away.

"I cannot stand these idiot skeletons," Chara frowned at Sans and Papyrus. "All that fat one does is tell obnoxious puns and that spaghetti-obsessed one believes he is much greater than he really is. Ridiculous, isn't it?"

"I like them both," Frisk argued. "Sans' puns are funny and Papyrus is really nice once you get to know him!"

"Fair points," Chara replied. "But their negatives outweigh the positives far too much for me. Though, I'll admit… Sans' secret dark side does intrigue me. Somewhat."

"Now Undyne," Chara whispered into Frisk's ear as they hid from Undyne. "She is a truly inspiring monster. She is the bringer of justice! Her words inspire monsters to believe in themselves, almost as much as ASGORE's do. How awesome!"

"I guess," Frisk shrugged. "I mean, I didn't really like her much at first, I guess it was because she was trying to kill me. But I warmed up to her."

"Hmm, it would take a lot more than a simple murder for me to hate her." Chara replied.

And then Frisk died to Undyne. Their weak SOUL shattered and their body went limp. A 'Game Over' screen appeared in front of them.

"Child…" Chara stared at their limp body. "Human… Frisk… Frisk, you have to get up!" Their voice cracked. "Please! Come back!" They would never admit it, but the thought of Frisk dying made them terribly upset.

Thank goodness for the RESET option.

"Frisk… oh thank my lucky stars," Chara gasped as Frisk spawned at the SAVE point. "I thought you were dead!"

"Wow, Chara," Frisk giggled. "Sounds like you really… Chara 'bout me!" (Pronounced 'Care-a')

"YOU RUINED THE MOMENT!" Chara groaned, as Frisk burst into tears of laughter. "I DO NOT CARE ABOUT HUMANS! I DON'T!"

Yet Chara couldn't help but blush.

"Would you smooch a ghost?" Chara asked, gazing at Mettaton's questions. "What kind of preposterous question is that?"

"Well, I'd certainly smooch a certain ghost." Frisk winked at Chara.

"You are too smooth," Chara growled. "Far, far too smooth."

"Smooth as your skin?" Frisk wiggled their eyebrows.

"I SWEAR-" Chara looked like they were going to pull their hair out.

Chara went silent during the ASGORE fight. Frisk could understand why. ASGORE was a father figure to them, and there Frisk was, forced to hurt him. Frisk felt bad for Chara as well as ASGORE. They didn't deserve this.

Chara was also remotely silent at the end when their best friend Asriel Dreemurr appeared.

"Continue forward, Frisk," they told Frisk calmly. "You have the power. You have the strength. You have the DETERMINATION. You can win."

Frisk's SOUL suddenly glowed red. It had come back at last.

Their DETERMINATION.

Frisk felt… joyous. Finally, they had got the happy ending they had always wanted. There was no need to worry about getting suddenly reset. No player. They were the one in control now.

"Well done, human," Chara told Frisk. "You have become independent."

"All thanks to you, Chara," Frisk grinned at Chara. "I wish I could bring you back as a physical form. Then I'd give you a massive hug and we could do the Double Team dance together!"

"I'd rather not participate in that dance." Chara responded, folding their arms.

"Hey," Frisk said, their face lighting up. "We should go exploring."

"Exploring?" Chara asked. "Why?"

"Well, there's no player to worry about, so we should check out some other timelines and stuff!" Frisk replied, their bottom lip slightly twitching. "I heard there's a timeline where everyone's super edgy, or this other timeline where we're all gods! Or this one where we're all mafias!" They jumped around like the young child they were. "Don't they all sound aweeeeesooomeee, Chara?"

"I'm surprised you don't want to settle in just one timeline," Chara frowned.

"That's boring, Chair," Frisk replied. "I wanna check out other timelines!"

"Did you just call me an object of furniture?!" Chara asked, making a face.

"Yep, and I've got plenty more nicknames where that came from!" Frisk grinned.

"Someone kill me," Chara grumbled. "Again."

Frisk and Chara visited many timelines together. Chara would never admit it, but they were beginning to warm up to the silly eighth human. Frisk was certainly a charmer, Chara wouldn't lie.

You cannot get attached to another one, Chara told themself. You can't.

But then one day, Frisk had something to show Chara. The kids walked through Waterfall, gazing all around.

"Ah," Chara sighed. "Even though I have been here countless times I can still admire this beautiful place."

"Yeah, it is really nice, even though I don't actually know what it looks like," Frisk agreed. "Anyway, nearly there."

The two continued for a bit more, before Frisk told Chara to close their eyes.

"Now take a few steps," Frisk said, gently holding Chara's arm. Chara was slightly tense. "Almost there…" Frisk grinned. "Okay, you can open up your eyes now!"

Chara opened up their eyes. In front of them was a bed of golden flowers shaped into a heart. Right in the middle of that was a card. Chara picked the card up and read it.

Hey Chara,

Thanks for being awesome! I know you don't like being friends with humans and all that, but I hope you don't mind that I think you're one of my buddies. You can be kinda mean sometimes but I still think you're really smart and cool. You're really good at knitting, drawing, gardening, descriptive writing and your memory is amazing! You have way more talent than me, ha ha. I'm glad I got to meet you though. I hope we can be friends for a very long time! Then perhaps I can finally teach you the Double Team dance.

I love you!

From your friend,

Frisk.

(P.S - I hope you like the flowers, I'm no gardener like you so it took aggeeess to grow them.)

Chara almost dropped the letter. Their eyes kept glancing over one phrase.

'I love you'

"..." Chara read over that line again and again. Their heart pounded.

"You…" they looked at Frisk, holding back tears. "You… love me?"

"Of course I do, Chara!" Frisk grinned.

"... no one has said that to me for over one hundred years…" Chara said, their breathing heavy.

"A hundred years?" Frisk asked, raising their brow. "Wow Chara, you're really old!"

"Yes," Chara chuckled. "Compared to a living human, I am indeed."

"Well, age is just a number," Frisk said, smirking. "You're still just as cute."

"Y… you love me…" Chara wiped their eyes. "You really love me…"

"Aww, you're crying!" Frisk giggled.

"No I'm not!" Chara replied, covering their face. "I-I don't cry!"

"Come on Chara, admit it," Frisk giggled, poking their tongue out. They held Chara's hand. Chara blushed. "You love me too."

Chara sighed. They put their head on Frisk's shoulder. The two sat down and admired the flowers. Chara looked content. They felt content. Finally, someone truly loved them. Someone was happy to be in their presence. Someone cared about them. They had something to live for.

They hadn't felt content since...

"You will always be with me, yes?" they asked Frisk, hope in their eyes.

Frisk smiled approvingly at them.

"Of course, Chara," they said. "Don't you worry. I'll always be there for you. We're partners after all, right?"

"Yes," Chara smiled. "Yes, we are."

Chara knew it now.

"I do," they said, still smiling. A happy smile. "I do love you back, Frisk."

One day, Frisk had a dark look on their face. They seemed twitchy and… afraid of something. Chara immediately felt concerned.

"Frisk," Chara patted Frisk's shoulder. "Is something troubling you?"

Frisk gritted their teeth. "The Player. They're coming back."

Chara frowned and folded their arms. "No they are not. You escaped from them ages ago. Don't you remember?"

"I haven't been completely honest with you, Chara," Frisk responded, tense. "The player's always been at the back of my mind. They're always gonna find a way to come back, no matter what I do." Frisk gritted their teeth. "They're hurting me. They're hurting you. Everyone."

"Frisk you are being a fool," Chara argued. "Your fear is getting the better of you. There's no player here. They are gone."

"They were never gone," Frisk responded, their voice quiet yet intimidating. "There's only one way I can get rid of them. I have to kill them."

"That is not possible!" Chara grumbled. "The player is from another world, you simply can't just kill them in cold blood!"

"Then I'll become powerful," Frisk replied. "Powerful enough to stop them. And for that, I'll need LV." They glanced at a timeline. A pacifist timeline. Then at a reset button.

"No," Chara said, holding up their hand. "You cannot."

"I don't have a choice." Frisk responded, holding their hand over the RESET button.

"You do have a choice," Chara growled, clenching their fists. "You've always had a choice! This isn't going to work! Don't do it!"

"The player took away my choice," Frisk replied. They looked angry. "This isn't just for me, Chara. It's for everyone."

"If you are planning to hurt everyone, that is!" Chara snapped.

"This will make us happy," Frisk insisted, their fists clenched. "This is the only way we'll ever be happy."

"But... we were already happy..." Chara said, holding out their hand. But it was too late. Frisk reset.

Chara knew they had to stop Frisk at all costs. They could not let their partner get corrupted by power. Luckily, Chara had the determination to do so. They continued to stand in Frisk's way.

"This is not what you want!" Chara yelled, tears threatening to fall. But Frisk simply ignored them. They murdered monsters left and right, increasing their LV. Monsters they had cared about. Gone.

Chara tried to reset, but Frisk had too much power. Chara could only scream at Frisk to stop.

By the end of the run, Chara had nothing nice at all to say to Frisk. Frisk wanted to visit other timelines to raise their LV even more. Chara stood in front of Frisk, an enraged look on their face.

"You fool!" Chara yelled. "You are no better than the player if you think anyone will stand for your behaviour!"

"You're in my way." Frisk responded, holding out a knife.

"Good!" Chara growled. "I refuse to let you continue!"

"You have something that's mine," Frisk said, a dark look on their face. They stabbed the knife through Chara's chest, pulling out their SOUL. They ripped out the determination they had given to Chara so long ago and gave it back to themself. Their body glowed a vibrant red as Chara fell to their knees, their body now pale and beginning to crack.

"Now I see who is this fool…" Chara laughed. A song began to play in the background (King Description) as Chara hummed to themself...

Play King Description.

"I thought that I could trust you,

That you were my friend.

But it seems I was mistaken.

You're no better than them."

Frisk lost their blindness due to the amount of power in their body. They went to timelines Chara and themself had visited and ruined them for more power. There was nothing Chara could do.

"Leaving those you loved in darkness,

Do not care to look back.

Blinded by determination,

Your greed is a fact."

Chara watched as the loving and friendly child they had known turned themself into a monster. Only because they were afraid. So... cowardly.

"So follow your determination!

Karma will come eventually.

Then we will see the true monster,

The child bathed in selfishness and greed."

Frisk had got more and more powers. They could summon spears, Gaster Blasters, and they had endless talents. Chara refused to cry.

"Once you lose that determination,

Do not come back calling for me.

Even when you lose everything that matters,

You will still be nothing to me."

Chara looked at the letter Frisk gave them.

...

Of course, Chara. Don't you worry. I'll always be there for you. We're partners after all, right?

Chara re-read the letter over and over again. Their eyes glanced over the last three words.

I love you!

...

"You are dead to me, human," Chara growled. They tore the letter in half and threw it away. "You will regret this."

A tear fell down their cheek. It landed on their golden locket.

"Everyone is a traitor," Chara sighed, their voice cracking. "I really am alone..."

They sobbed.

"With my new powers, I know how to stop them," Frisk said. "I need to access the ERASE button." They glanced at a particular timeline. A timeline for an Alternate Universe known as Grouptale. A universe neither Frisk or Chara had visited previously.

"This will end it all," Frisk said, determined. "We'll never have to worry again."

Chara clenched their fist. For the last time, they had to try talking to Frisk.

"You are a fool," they spat. "This will not work. You will not only endanger yourself, but you will endanger everyone. This is incredibly selfish, cowardly, weak and something I'd expect from someone like you. If you really wish to stop the player, you will fight back."

"You don't know what it really feels like to be controlled," Frisk argued. "There are so many timelines where I feel trapped because of them."

"I understand that timelines with the player will not let you do this, but you don't understand. You will die. Everything and everyone you love will be gone." Chara pointed out. "AFTER ALL…" Their face melted. "SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?!"

"I wasn't," Frisk replied. "But we won't have to worry about being controlled ever again."

"You think you're doing something heroic?" Chara asked angrily, back to their normal self. Frisk just wasn't listening. "You really think you're saving the world?"

Frisk nodded with a grin.

"You really are an idiot." Chara growled.

"Join me, Chara," Frisk said, holding out their hand. "We'll do be heroes together." They had a kind look in their eyes. "Just like old times."

I'll always be there for you.

"I will NEVER help you," Chara snapped, pushing Frisk's hand away. "Go to Hell."

Frisk looked down in despair.

"You were the one who wanted to be partners in the first place." they muttered quietly.

"YOU ARE THE ONE THAT BETRAYED ME!" Chara screamed, clenching their fists.

"I didn't have a choice." Frisk responded, glancing at their palms. Black goop came out of their left eye. flinched at it.

"YES YOU DID!" they yelled back. They breathed heavily. "YOU KNOW WHAT? I WILL STOP YOU MYSELF. I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THE TRUTH ABOUT YOU. I WILL SAVE THE WORLD!"

Frisk turned around with a glint in their eye.

"That's our new deal," they said. "Me vs you, Chara. Let's see who's the hero."

"You will suffer and your soul will rot in the fires of Hell," Chara growled. "I accept your deal."

"Game on, Chara," Frisk replied.

"Game on indeed." Chara said snidely. The kids shook hands in agreement.

...

Chara had fallen asleep on top of the eighth human. Frisk didn't feel tired. They just stared at Chara's sleeping face. They felt a pain in their heart, but they kept smiling.

Alone together. Forever.

If only...

If only.


	45. Etiam in morte, Superest amor Part. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyy I have to go back to school kinda... this chapter gets interesting. Happy reading. ;)

Frisk walked out of the elevator, swiftly destroying the door as they left so the other kids were truly trapped in the lab. They kept their head down, darkness welling inside them. If anything stood in their way, it would die. Frisk was not holding back for anyone anymore. It was the end.

Frisk made it back to the throne room. They walked through the golden flowers. Black goop dribbled out of their left eye again. They continued walking, until they approached the Barrier. They entered, seeing ASGORE stand before them, his back facing them.

"This is the Barrier," he said. "This is what keeps us all trapped underground." He paused. "If… if by chance you have any unfinished business… please… do what you must."

Frisk held their head up. It was too late to go back.

"... I see…" Asgore sighed. "This is it, then." He turned around, the empty glass containers appearing beside him. He raised his brow. "... where did all the other humans go?"

Frisk held up their sword, a dark look on their face.

"... you seem very eager to fight," Asgore commented, sounding concerned. "Aren't you worried about your friends?"

Frisk took a step towards Asgore, still holding out their sword.

"... child…" Asgore almost sounded… afraid. "That look on your face… the way you are holding that sword… you… you've done something horrible, haven't you…?"

Frisk was about to shove their sword through Asgore's chest, but suddenly the King was blasted away by a fistful of fiery magic. Toriel appeared, her hand still faintly glowing. She gave a disdainful glance at the fallen king.

"What a miserable creature," she sighed. "Torturing such poor, innocent… youth… s…?" She realised only Frisk was there. "Oh! Greetings, my child. It is, I, TORIEL, your friend and guardian. I am glad to see you alive and well, but… where are the other humans?"

Frisk didn't respond.

"..." Toriel looked worried. "You… know where they are, right?"

Frisk's face was darkened.

"Tori…" Asgore gasped, standing up. "You came back!"

"Do not 'Tori' me, Dreemurr!" Toriel snapped, focusing her attention on the king. "You pathetic whelp. If you really wanted to free our kind... you could've waited for one more human to fall down, used their SOUL to pass the barrier, collect six SOULs from the humans and freed everyone in peace."

Asgore looked down. "Tori… you're right… I am a miserable creature… but, do you think we can at least be friends again?"

Toriel sighed. "NO, Asgore."

Asgore began to sob.

"Nggaaaaahhhhh!" Undyne yelled, suddenly appearing. "ASGORE! Humans! Nobody fight each other! Everyone's gonna make friends, or else I'll… I'll….!" She made a face. "Hey, wait, why's only one kid here?!"

"Hello," Toriel smiled at Undyne. "I am TORIEL. Are you a friend of the humans? It is nice to meet you."

Undyne grinned nervously. "Uhh, yeah…? Nice to meet you!" She waddled over to Asgore, a sympathetic look in her eyes. "Hey, Asgore, is that your ex? Jeez, that's rough, buddy."

"H-hey!" Alphys shrieked, also appearing. "Nobody hurt each other!" She glanced at Frisk. She looked confused. "Why are o-only you there? I thought you guys all got ou-"

"Oh!" Toriel gasped. "Are you another friend?" She smiled. "I am TORIEL. Hello!"

"Uh, h-h-hi!" Alphys squeaked. She gave Frisk a look. "(THERE'S TWO OF THEM?)"

"HEY!" Papyrus yelled. "NOBODY FIGHT ANYONE! IF ANYONE FIGHTS ANYONE…! THEN I'LL! BE FORCED! TO ASK UNDYNE FOR HELP!"

"Hello!" Toriel greeted Papyrus.

"OH!" Papyrus gasped. "HELLO, YOUR MAJESTY!" He gazed at Frisk. "PSST, HEY, HUMAN… DID ASGORE SHAVE…? AND… CLONE HIMSELF?!"

"hey guys," Sans came over. "what's up?"

Toriel blushed. "That voice…!" She walked over to Sans. "Hello! I think we may… know each other?"

"oh hey…" Sans raised his bone-brow. "i recognise your voice, too."

"I am TORIEL," Toriel replied, smiling warmly. "So nice to meet you."

"the name's sans," Sans replied. "and, uh, same."

"Oh! Wait, then…" Toriel looked at Papyrus. "This must be your brother, Papyrus! Greetings, Papyrus! It is so nice to finally meet you! Your brother has told me so much about you."

"WOWIE…" Papyrus looked down, somehow blushing. "I CAN'T BELIEVE ASGORE'S CLONE KNOWS WHO I AM! THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!"

"Hey, Papyrus…" Toriel asked. "What does a skeleton tile his roof with?"

"HMM…" Papyrus looked thoughtful. "SNOW-PROOF ROOF TILES?"

"No, silly!" Toriel giggled. "A skeleton tiles his roof with… SHIN-gles!"

"I CHANGED MY MIND!" Papyrus screamed. "THIS IS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE!" He glanced at Frisk. "SOMETHING SEEMS OFF ABOUT YOU, HUMAN…" He gasped. "THAT'S RIGHT! YOU'RE NOT HOLDING A STICK ANYMORE!"

Frisk almost smiled.

"i think it's more than that," Sans commented. "where are the other kids?"

"MAYBE THEY'RE INVISIBLE?" Papyrus asked, curious.

Frisk looked down.

"OH MY GOD!" a voice suddenly yelled. A sexy leg appeared, pointed at Alphys and Undyne. "WILL YOU TWO JUST SMOOCH ALREADY?! THE AUDIENCE IS DYING FOR SOME ROMANTIC ACTION!"

"HEY, SHUT UP!" Undyne yelled. "Man, the nerve of that guy! Right, Alphys?"

Alphys looked flushed.

"Uh, Alphys?" Undyne asked.

"No," Alphys said. "He's right. Let's do it!"

Undyne looked awkward. "Well? Uh? I guess? If you want to? Then?" She blushed. "Don't hold anything back!"

The two leaned in for a kiss. As soon as they were about to smooch, Toriel stepped in between them.

"W-wait!" she exclaimed. "Not in front of the human!"

"Uhh, right!" Alphys blushed. "S-sorry, I got a little carried away there."

"Hee hee hee," Toriel laughed, the monsters standing around her. "Well, my child, it has been lovely meeting your monster friends but I really must know… where are the other humans?"

"Yeah," Undyne crossed her arms. "I wanted to give Brayden a noogie!"

"and i had plenty of faye-bulous puns to share with faye." Sans said.

"SANS!" Papyrus screamed. He looked thoughtful. "I MYSELF WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO DISCUSSING SPAGHETTI WITH THE GREEN HUMAN MELODY!"

"you sure you're talking about the right human?" Sans asked.

"YES, ABSOLUTELY COMPLETELY SURE!" Papyrus responded cheerfully.

"alright then, buddo." Sans shrugged.

"I kinda wanted to talk to Percy about anime…" Alphys chuckled. "He understands it on a spiritual level like I do."

"All the children are lovely," Toriel said. She looked worried. "But… we don't know where any of them are, aside from the young one here."

"They came out of the lab with you, didn't they…?" Alphys asked Frisk. "I mean, someone had fixed the power generator, so I assumed you guys had all left…"

Frisk didn't respond.

"... they're…" Alphys' face went pale. "Someone… broke the lab's elevator again… shortly after we all got here…" She glanced at Frisk. "... they're… they're… they're still in the lab… aren't they?"

Frisk lowered their head.

"Wait WHAT?!" Undyne asked.

"You… you trapped them!" Alphys gasped with horror. "You trapped the other humans in the lab!"

The corner of Frisk's lip twitched.

"My child!" Toriel looked horrified. "How could you have done such a thing to your friends?!"

Sans' face was darkened. "... i knew it."

"WHAAAAATTTT?!" Papyrus asked. "THERE'S A LAB?!"

Frisk knew now it was time to strike. They ran forward, shoving past all their monster friends. They faced the barrier, a faint breeze going through their hair. Their left eye was dribbling black goop. Their right eye was flickering red and black.

Darkness was… everywhere. Frisk felt it in their body, in their soul, in their mind. It consumed their every thought and every feeling. Yet, they could see. They could see very well. They could see the beginning, the middle and the end. Now it was time to say goodbye to everything. Whether they cared about it or not, it was going to die.

This is for EVERYONE.

Frisk felt power rushing through them. They glowed a mix of black and red, holding out their sword. They held out their free hand, reaching out for something. A button.

The Erase Button.

No one will have to worry ever again.

"What are they doing?!" Undyne asked, her jaw dropping.

"... erase…" Sans' eye sockets widened.

"My child, please, stop this!" Toriel demanded, holding out a hand.

Frisk wasn't going to stop now. Not when they were so close.

"HUMAN!" Papyrus yelled. "ERM, MAYBE CALM DOWN? IF YOU COME OVER HERE, I WILL GIVE YOU A HUG OF FRIENDSHIP AND RELAXATION!"

"... you megalomaniac." Sans growled at Frisk, clenching his bony fist.

Frisk held their hand above the ERASE button. They brought it down, closing one of their eyes…

A vine wrapped around their arm, holding it up. It belonged to Flowey.

"Not so fast, kid," Flowey growled, grinning widely. "You really think I'd let you get away with this?"

Frisk sliced the vine away with their sword. It landed on the ground, next to them.

"I'll kill you," Flowey smirked. "Don't you worry about that."

Friendliness pellets appeared around Frisk. The child held up their shield, preventing themself from getting hit. They attempted to grab Flowey, but he moved out of the way.

"UNDYNE!" Papyrus shrieked. "DO SOMETHING!"

"ALRIGHT, YOU TWO!" Undyne yelled. "STOP THIS NOW!" She ran over to Frisk and Flowey. Frisk sliced their sword across the ground, making it shiver like there was an earthquake. The monsters all fell over.

"Don't like interruptions?" Flowey asked. "Hee hee, I understand that, kid." He held up more vines. They approached Frisk. The child jumped out of the way, still wielding their sword. The vines approached Frisk again. The child sliced one of them, destroying it. They summoned red spears, throwing them at Flowey. Flowey went into the ground, avoiding them.

Flowey suddenly appeared behind Frisk, grabbing their arms and legs with his vines. He pulled them back into the ground. Frisk struggled to move. Their bones threatened to snap. But they had HATE on their side.

Frisk broke free from the vines, more black goop dribbling out of their left eye. They summoned a Gaster Blaster and used its power against the flower. Flowey quickly dodged, but unluckily for him, Frisk wasn't finished. They ran towards him, holding up their sword. He attempted to stop them with vines but they continued to move forward. When they reached him they stabbed their sword into his stem. He yelped, his petals falling off. He fell over, dead and crumpled.

Frisk breathed heavily, staring at the flower's remains. Their LV continued to increase. So did their power.

By now, the monsters had gotten up. Toriel stood up and crossed her arms.

"Child," she demanded. "You will put down that sword immediately."

Frisk stormed over to her and held their sword at her throat.

"Tori!" Asgore squeaked. He held out his trident. "Human, step away from her."

"yeah, kid," Sans growled. "or you'll have another bad time."

"That's right!" Undyne agreed, holding up a spear.

"I… I'll go get the other kids!" Alphys said, running off with her phone in hand.

"I'LL GO WITH YOU!" Papyrus said. "THE HUMANS WILL BE JOYOUS TO SEE MY SMILING FACE!" He followed Alphys.

Frisk glanced at the monsters all around them. They clenched their fists.

"i'll give you a tip, kid," Sans growled, holding up a bone. "put everything down. now."

Frisk's head was lowered. Their grip on their sword tightened.

Frisk! You have to wake up!

I… I can't… the nightmare never ends...

Suddenly they jumped back up, slicing their sword at Asgore. He crashed into the side of the barrier.

"Don't hurt him!" Undyne bellowed, throwing a barrage of spears at the child. Frisk defended themself using a shield. They summoned spears of their own and launched them at Undyne.

"What the Hell?!" Undyne yelled. "Since when do you have spears?!"

"they have blasters too," Sans grumbled. "i don't know how the hell they managed to get them."

Speaking of blasters, Frisk summoned a few blasters and unleashed their energy at Sans. Sans narrowly dodged the dangerous energy. Toriel's palms lit up with fire.

"Child, please," she begged. "You must stop this. I do not want to hurt you."

Frisk had no intentions of stopping. They summoned spears and fired them at the goat mother. She yelped, defending herself with a wall of fire. Sans grabbed Frisk's SOUL with his blue magic, but they broke free almost immediately. HATE was rushing through them. They felt it coursing throughout their body. Their left eye began to drool even more of the black goop. The spear in their right eye continued to grow in size. The HATE infected their sword too, turning it black.

The red in their SOUL cracked.

"Human…" Asgore got up and stared at Frisk. They were shaking and glitching to a degree. "That… look on your face…" He looked at his palms. "It… it gives me the feeling… that… something horrible is about to happen."

Frisk stabbed the ground with their sword, cracking it and turning it black. Black goop was dripping down their face.

"step back," Sans said. "that stuff's gotta be dangerous."

The monsters stepped back, away from the infected ground. Frisk was still standing there with their sword.

"What happened to them…?" Toriel asked, almost crying. "They… they've become…" Her eyes widened. "... a miserable creature."

I'll save the world.

"Oh my God, oh my God…" Percy immediately began to panic. "W-we're stuck…" He breathed heavily, sweating.

"THAT KID!" Brayden yelled, banging his fists against the elevator door. "THAT FREAKING KID!"

Clover had a dark look on her face. She glared at her hands.

"They'll pay," she growled. "They'll pay, alright."

"I… I just can't believe it…" Cody fell to his knees, sobbing. "They were… the bad one all along?"

"It… appears so," Melody sighed. "And we were stupid enough to trust them."

"Not you guys," Faye mumbled, huddled in a corner. "I was stupid enough to trust them. To… love them. There's… another timeline where I met them a long time before we all fell down Mt. Ebott, and we were pretty good friends. They weren't a bad person at all. They were really nice. Because of that... I didn't think there was any way they could possibly be bad, even though I had a lot of bad dreams about them." She looked away.

"You could've at least given us a warning." Clover grumbled.

"... but then you would wanna know why I would think they were bad and I'd have to explain the future power to you…" Faye replied, frowning. "... and I couldn't do that… I'm sorry." She wiped her eyes. "I'm stupid… this is all my fault… I knew the truth and I didn't say anything…" She sniffled. "Why did I get this power…? Why not someone else? I'm the worst person to get it…"

"Feelin' sorry for yourself won't fix anything," Clover said, kneeling down next to Faye. "You gotta take action and do something."

"But I can't do anything…" Faye sniffled in response.

"Well," Clover folded her arms. "Do you know if we get outta here alive?"

"... I-I don't, actually…" Faye replied. "There's… something to do with the Barrier, and Chara… and that's all I know…" She sniffled. "See? I'm useless…"

"Hmm." Percy took notes.

"HEY!" Brayden turned around and glared at Faye. "YOU'RE NOT USELESS!" He grinned, giving her a thumbs up. "You're just a cute punk!"

"Oh," Faye blushed. "I wish…"

"DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF!" Brayden retorted. He grabbed her hand. "HELP ME FIX THIS FREAKING ELEVATOR AND THEN BEAT THE CRAP OUTTA FRISK!"

Faye walked over to the elevator with Brayden, slightly nervous. But she was glad to be with him. Meanwhile Cody gave his sister a sad look.

"Hey, sis…" he said. "Do… do you think we can… help Frisk? Make them… not bad?"

"Don't try, bro," Clover growled. "I won't let them hurt you."

"I… I just don't think I can hurt them," Cody said. "They're - they were my friend."

"They were never anyone's friend," Clover told her brother. "I get that you feel bad for 'em, you do with everybody. But they've been tricking us this whole darn time. We can't just simply forgive that at the drop of a hat."

Cody didn't respond. He glanced at his pan.

"Your sister is right, you know," Melody told Cody, her arms folded. "That child deserves a severe punishment."

"I just…" Cody frowned. "... can't imagine hurting them…"

"Then don't imagine it," Clover retorted. "Do it for real."

Cody continued to frown. He examined his apron. He remembered his mom's face when she gave it to him. She seemed so… hopeful. Cody didn't even say thank you. He remembered her sweet voice…

Everyone deserves kindness.

Suddenly, Alphys burst in, followed by Papyrus.

"Guys!" Alphys exclaimed, panting heavily. She gazed at the kids. "Thank GOD you're all okay!"

"NYEH HEH HEH!" Papyrus grinned. "GREETINGS, HUMANS! IT IS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS! I BET YOU HAVE MISSED ME!"

"Thank GOD you're here," Melody replied with relief. "Thank you. We were stuck down here!"

"Because of that kid." Clover growled.

"We know," Alphys said. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of here. The whole situation is a mess, though. That kid is up there, fighting the other monsters. They look…" Her eyes widened. "T-terrifying…"

"WELL I'M READY TO PUNCH 'EM!" Brayden put his fist in his palm. "TAKE ME TO 'EM!"

Melody hugged herself, Percy hiding behind her. Clover stood up, while Faye smiled nervously. Cody was clenching his pan tightly.

"S-sure thing," Alphys replied. She walked away quickly, Papyrus following. "This way!"

Frisk was by themself, shrouded in their own HATE. There was too much power. They fell to their knees, black goop everywhere. They forced it back into themself, glaring at the monsters while doing so. The monsters looked horrified. Frisk couldn't blame them. The small part of them that could still feel felt horrified too.

I'll save everyone...

Frisk turned around. It was time to ERASE.

"H-hey!" Alphys squeaked, running with the group towards Frisk. The other humans and Papyrus overtook her. They were all staring at Frisk.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Brayden growled at Frisk, cracking his knuckles. "GET OVER HERE YOU COWARD!"

Frisk didn't respond.

"Kid," Clover held up her gun. She fired it nearby them to get their attention. "You are in some serious trouble."

Frisk turned around, black goop coming out of their left eye. They stared at the other kids.

"Oh my God…" Melody covered her mouth. "You… you really do look horrible…"

"You have done too much to your body," Percy mumbled. "Far too much."

Faye glanced down. "And to think I loved you…"

Cody glanced at his hands. He felt… pain tugging at his heart strings.

"But... really, you should always be kind," his mother told him. "Not just for me."

Cody slowly walked over to Frisk. He wasn't giving them an angry or horrified glare like everyone else. He was smiling at them.

"Cody get over here." Clover growled.

"I know… what you've done and are about to do…" Cody said, sighing. "But… I… I don't think you're all bad! I think… I think you can still be good. If you just try." He held out his arms. "I've seen you be nice. I know there's still something there, somewhere. I'll give you another chance. I'll help you try again."

Frisk flinched.

"Cody." Clover clenched her fists. Yet she felt… rooted to her spot.

"It's okay," Cody said. He gently hugged Frisk, making them stiffen up. "I forgive you."

"CODY WHAT THE HELL?!" Brayden asked, pulling his hair.

Frisk didn't move for a moment. Their breathing almost stopped. Then slowly, they hugged Cody back. A small smile was on their face. They closed their eyes.

Cody's smile grew. "See? You can cha-"

Cody stopped talking, falling to his knees. Frisk had put their sword through his abdomen.

Clover glanced at her gun, and she knew it was time.

There was no going back.

Frisk, the eighth human, was going to die.


	46. Etiam in morte, Superest amor Part. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of violence in this chap, you've been warned...

The kids approached Frisk from all angles. Frisk kept their head down, gripping their sword. The monsters were rooted to their spots, behind a wall of HATE. There was nothing they could do. They could only watch in horror.

Clover held up her gun, baring her teeth.

"I always had a feelin' about ya, kid," she growled. "I should've acted earlier. You're barely a human."

Frisk suddenly saw Chara standing in front of them, repeating the same words.

"You're barely a human."

Frisk held up their shield, defending themself from Clover's bullets. They looked behind them and Brayden was charging towards them, holding out his fists.

"YOU JERK!" he bellowed. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Frisk used their sword as a vault and leaped into the air. They landed far away from the kids. They summoned a few spears and threw them at their former friends.

"Look out!" Melody shrieked. The group jumped in different directions, avoiding the spears. Percy was having a panic attack on the ground. His notes were scattered all around him.

"YOU THINK I'M SCARED OF YOU?!" Brayden yelled at Frisk, holding up his fists.

Frisk turned and stared at him. They held up their sword.

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Brayden yelled. "SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT, PUNK!"

The punk that was his friend…

Frisk summoned a Gaster Blaster. They unleashed its energy onto the boy. If it wasn't for Melody shoving him out of the way, he would've been obliterated.

"YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN BEAT ME?!" Brayden stood up, glaring at Frisk. Clover stood next to him, firing at the eighth human. They shielded themself again. Brayden stepped forward, his bandanna blowing in the wind.

"Brayden, be careful!" Melody said warningly.

"Death… death chance high…" Percy muttered, examining all his notes.

Brayden was giving Frisk a harsh glare, his fists clenched.

"You know, kid…" he looked down for a moment. "The thing is…" He looked up and bellowed. "I REALLY CARED ABOUT YOU! I REALLY THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND! EVERYONE'S FRIEND!"

Frisk didn't react.

"I REALLY THOUGHT YOU WERE A GOOD PERSON!" Brayden bellowed, his voice cracking. "I REALLY THOUGHT… I…" He paused again. "I… I thought you understood… I thought you knew everything, like… some kind of role model…" He sighed, staring at his feet. "I thought you were a hero, Frisk."

Brayden suddenly looked up again, fists clenched and eyes wide. "BUT YOU'RE JUST A COWARD!"

His fists glowed orange, as well as his eyes, much like in the ASGORE fight.

"AND I HATE COWARDS!" Brayden yelled. He held out his glowing fists. "NOW FIGHT ME, YOU FREAK! I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT IT MEANS WHEN YOU MESS WITH MY FRIENDS!"

Frisk tilted their head. They held out their hands, and their sword melted onto their arms, turning into gloves that fitted neatly onto their hands. Red, glowing gloves that seemed strong enough to break through rock. Brayden put his fist in his palm.

"Brayden, I'm really not sure about this!" Melody exclaimed, folding her arms.

Brayden gave her a thumbs up.

"Kick their butt, pardner," Clover told him, giving him a wink. "We're backing you up."

Brayden looked for Faye, but couldn't see her anywhere. He gritted his teeth and focused back on Frisk. He ran towards them. They punched the ground with their fists, causing it to crack. Brayden avoided the cracks and ran up to Frisk. He was about to punch them, but they shielded themself by holding up an arm. They reached down to punch Brayden in the stomach, but he whammed them across the face while they were doing that. Frisk was slammed into the wall with a sickening crack.

Brayden shook some black goop off his fist and glared at Frisk. They were slumped down, black goop dribbling out of their left eye. The boy stepped towards them, still holding out his fists. He grabbed the front of their shirt and brought them up to his face.

"I don't wanna kill you," he admitted, sighing. "BUT I HAVE TO STOP YOU!"

Suddenly, Frisk punched Brayden in the stomach, sending him flying across the floor. He bashed his head against the ground, causing his sight to go dizzy. Frisk appeared before him, holding out their sword. They held it above his chest.

"I'M NOT DONE YET!" Brayden roared. He got up and gave Frisk an uppercut that snapped their neck. They were flung onto the floor, as limp as a wet rag. Blood came out of their mouth.

"Oh my…" Melody covered her mouth. "I… B-Brayden, don't hurt them anymore!"

Clover gritted her teeth, while Percy continued to panic.

Brayden stared at Frisk for a few moments, feeling somewhat bad for them. He snapped their neck. He clenched his fists. They were evil. They had to die.

Didn't they?

Brayden, fists glowing, approached the child. He didn't see the HATE rushing through their body, healing them. As soon as he was very close to them they suddenly stood up, HATE bleeding out of their eyes and dripping down their cheeks. It was such a horrifying sight. Frisk didn't look human at all. Brayden stepped back. He couldn't stop looking at their eyes.

"What are you…?" he asked them, his fists trembling.

Brayden couldn't believe they were the same child that talked with him in Snowdin so long ago...

The eighth human, suddenly, gave him a big hug. Brayden wasn't always a hug fan. But he could make an exception this one time. He let the eighth human hug him. They were pretty nice after all. They were many things.

... many things.

Frisk held up their sword and rammed it through Brayden's chest before he had the chance to say something. He slumped onto the ground. Melody screamed with horror. Clover growled again. Percy panicked even more. Frisk had no expression on their face.

"How… how could you?!" Melody yelled, breathing heavily. She was glaring at Frisk. "How could you kill two people so easily?!"

Frisk didn't respond.

"Two people who were your friends?!" Melody continued. "My friends! Our friends!"

Frisk summoned spears. They aimed them at Melody.

"You monster!" Melody bellowed, tears slipping down her cheeks. She jumped out of the way. "We performed together! We bonded! We…" She sobbed. "We were really friends!"

"Melody…" Percy held out his hand. "Be careful… please..."

Clover fired at Frisk once more. The child held out their shield. They then smashed the ground with their new red gloves, causing it to crack. Clover jumped out of the way, keeping an eye on the eighth human at all times.

Melody ran towards Frisk, holding up her fists.

"I can't believe you!" she bellowed. She wiped her eyes. "The only thing left to do is STOP YOU!"

Frisk grabbed the front of her leotard and pulled her high into the air with them. They held a barrage of spears above her head. Melody shrieked and jumped away in a moment of panic. She plummeted down, screaming. Clover caught her in her arms.

"Thank you." Melody said, sighing. She realised her bun had come undone and groaned, annoyed. Clover put Melody down and fired her gun at Frisk's feet. Frisk was forced to return to the ground. They summoned two Gaster Blasters and aimed them at the girls.

"I don't think so!" Melody growled. She leaped towards Frisk and kicked them in the stomach. They were forced to dissipate their blasters.

"Girl power!" Melody grinned at Clover. "That's your type of Girls Night out, right?"

"Oh yeah," Clover agreed. "Nothin' like servin' justice on a cold platter."

"I appear to have one too many Y chromosomes to be able to join in this conversation…" Percy commented.

"Well then this is EVERYONE's night," Melody said, holding up her fist. She stared at Frisk. "We will stop you, Frisk! That is a promise!"

Melody held out her arms in front of her, her hair blowing in the breeze. She removed her tutu so it was easier for her to move. Frisk held out their sword. The two stared at each other.

Frisk summoned spears while Melody covered her face. The girl ran towards the eighth human, fists clenched. She jumped, narrowly avoiding most of their attacks.

"M… Melody…" Percy held out his hand. "Please…"

Melody ran at Frisk, but she was stopped by their shield. Frisk shoved her back. She stood up again, however, teeth gritted.

"You're a monster," she growled. "How could you be so horrible? You made us believe Chara was the villain when they did nothing wrong!"

Her anger gave her the strength to run forward and actually wham Frisk in the stomach. They landed on the ground. Melody glowed a faint blue as she stared down at them.

"You're fake!" she yelled. "The truth is, you're a filthy liar!"

She stomped the ground, causing parts of the wall to fall onto Frisk. The eighth human reacted by covering themself with a red shield. They shoved through the debris, holding out their sword. They leaped towards Melody, but she jumped out of the way. Frisk summoned red spears and threw them at the girl.

"Oh great." she grumbled. Percy grabbed her arm and pulled her down, away from the spears.

"Percy…" she stared at her friend.

"There isn't much I can do now, but I-I'm figuring something out," Percy informed. "Though I'm already too late. Two of our friends are already dead." He sighed. "I just have to stop anyone else dying…"

"Y'all!" Clover yelled. Frisk now had more Gaster blasters by their sides.

"I don't want her to die either…" Percy mumbled.

Clover fired bullets at Frisk, causing them to focus on her. They aimed the blasters at her.

"Neither do I," Melody agreed. She leaped over to Frisk and kicked them in the stomach again. They fell over, black goop coming out of their eye. The goop raised their HP. They stood up and stared at Melody. She held out her arms in a fighting position.

Frisk swung their sword at the girl, but she jumped out of the way.

"I won't let you kill me!" she yelled. "You've done too much already!"

Frisk attempted to stab the girl again. She stepped back.

"Don't you feel anything?" she asked. "Don't you feel bad about all of this?"

Frisk took a step towards Melody.

"I see how it is…" she sighed. "You really are terrible."

Suddenly, Frisk stabbed Melody with their sword. She fell to her knees, her eyes wide.

"Terrible…" she mumbled, before falling over, dead.

"Melody…" Clover clenched her fists. Her face had darkened completely. Percy was having a full on panic attack. He was shaking and twitching, his breathing out of control. Clover stood in front of him protectively. She held up her gun.

"You ain't human," she growled at Frisk. "You're not a monster, either. You're something much worse."

Frisk's right eye glowed red. Spears appeared all around them, as well as two Gaster Blasters. HATE dripped out of their left eye. Clover frowned and attempted to shoot at the kid, but with horror realised her gun was all out of ammo. She bared her teeth.

"You'll pay for this," she growled at Frisk. "For everything. I swear my life on it."

Frisk snapped their fingers. The spears and Gaster blasters approached the two kids. Clover growled, fists clenched. At least she would die as a hero.

The spears were seconds away…

"BAN KAI!"

A purple shield appeared around Clover and Percy. The boy had got back his long, black hair and anime-style eyes. Paper was flowing around him.

The spears hit the shield, protecting Clover and Percy. Frisk stared at Percy.

"My notes and calculations can only take me so far," Percy said. His eyes glowed. "If I really want to defeat you, I'll have to KILL YOU WITH BRUTE POWER!"

Papers flew towards Frisk. They surrounded the kid like a tornado, trapping them. The papers moved faster and faster, creating a strong breeze. Percy raised his hand, and a glowing, purple katana appeared in his hand.

"Where'd ya get that from?" Clover asked, staring at the weapon.

"The power of ANIME!" Percy responded. He charged at the paper tornado. "The momentum will make you incredibly dizzy, which also makes you vulnerable, so it will be easier to maim you, Frisk."

Percy was about to swing his katana at the tornado, but suddenly it exploded a bright red, launching Percy backwards. He coughed up some pieces of paper. Frisk was standing in front of him, their hair a mess. Black goop was everywhere.

Percy stood up as well, holding out his katana.

"You are very powerful," he told them. "Unsurprisingly, since you want to enter the world's 'codes and files'. What is this, a video game?" He shook his head. "With great power comes great responsibility. Yet, you have no responsibility at all. That is why you act so terribly. That's why… you…" He looked up. "That's why you killed Melody." He frowned. "I never even said goodbye or helped out, I… I spent far too long panicking." He gritted his teeth. "I was a bad friend to everyone."

His katana glowed purple as he yelled, "THIS IS FOR MY FRIENDS!" He raced towards Frisk, his eyes glowing as well. "AND FOR THE WHOLE WORLD!"

Percy clashed his katana against Frisk's sword. He raised his weapon in the air and brought it down.

"BAN KAI!" he yelled, slicing Frisk across the middle. They fell over, clutching their chest. Their HATE healed them. However, Percy sliced their hand, forcing them to drop their sword. While they were focused on healing their hand, Percy injured their other hand, then both of their legs.

"Through my observations, I have noticed you can only heal one part of yourself at a time," Percy said. "So every time you heal a part of yourself, I will harm another part of your body, and while you are distracted by healing the injured part of yourself, I will be able to…"

"Perce, did you seriously just tell 'em your plan?!" Clover asked, folding her arms.

Percy blushed. He shook his head at Frisk. "Um, ignore everything I just said!"

Frisk sat up and blasted Percy back with their sword. He fell onto his back.

"I really shouldn't talk out loud…" he grunted. Frisk appeared above him, their sword glowing. He moved out of the way, thoughtful.

"Change of plans," he mumbled. He ran towards Frisk, holding up his katana once again. "BAN KAI!" He swung the weapon at the child. They defended themself with their shield. Paper flew towards Frisk again, but they propelled themself upwards. They came falling down, their sword aimed at Percy's head. He summoned his own shield, protecting himself. He rammed his katana upwards, narrowly missing Frisk's chest. They came at him with their sword again. Percy held up his shield. Then the scene of Melody getting stabbed replayed over and over again in his head.

Bad… friend…

Melody's eyes filled up with tears. She smiled at Percy. "Being friends with you and the others is what makes me happy, Percy."

"PERCY!" Clover screamed.

Percy didn't realise he'd been stabbed until it was too late. He reverted back to his normal self and stared at the ground. It was over.

Clover adjusted her hat. She held out her fists and stared at Frisk.

"I don't need a gun to crush you," she growled. "The world will get justice either way."

Her eyes glowed yellow as she raced towards Frisk. She neatly dodged all their attacks, but she couldn't land a blow on them without them putting up their shield.

"Whatever you are, I will stop you," Clover told Frisk. "Chara will. Someone will. You won't win this battle. You don't deserve it."

Clover reached into one of her pockets, hoping to find some kind of weapon. She was lucky. She found one last bullet.

"Lucky," she grinned. "That's me."

Frisk summoned multiple spears. Clover dodged those, preparing her gun. She only had one shot. She had to make it count.

Frisk held up a Gaster Blaster. Clover just dodged it, skidding across the floor. She crashed against the wall. She weakly clenched her gun, her head slightly throbbing. She thought of her friends.

Her brother.

Everyone deserves a second chance.

"And some people get too many chances," Clover grumbled. "I wish you knew that, bro."

Frisk approached Clover, holding out their sword. They held it right above her chest, about to bring it down…

BANG!

Frisk fell over, a hole right through their heart. Clover had got the perfect shot. She stood up, staring at the eighth human. They weren't moving. Black goop was dripping out of the hole in their chest. Their eyes had turned black.

"That's what you get," Clover growled. "That's what you deserve."

She turned away. She trembled weakly, but couldn't help it anymore. She began to sob quietly, falling to her knees. Her family and almost all of her friends were gone. She had just killed someone she thought was her friend. She continued crying. It just wasn't fair. Why did she have to lose everyone she loved?

Maybe she wasn't so lucky after all…

Suddenly, someone patted her shoulder. Clover turned around and looked up. It was Frisk, looking down at her.

"You…" she stared at them. "How did ya…"

Frisk hid their face as they stabbed the girl. Their determination was too strong. Not even a gun wound could kill them.

Darkness was… everywhere. Frisk felt it in their body, in their soul, in their mind. And the only thing they could see now was the ending. Finally, no more distractions. No more people standing in the way. They turned around and reached out. The ERASE button was waiting for them, a short distance away.

Then… someone was standing in front of it. Frisk gritted their teeth. They reluctantly held out their sword, glaring at the person in front of them.

Faye was trembling, holding up her knife. She looked petrified.

"Whatever happens..." she said. "I hope you're sorry about it."


	47. A Beautiful Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More violence... I wonder if you guys were expecting this... ;)
> 
> Also, if you're a fan of my story Home Again, I have released a trailer for it on my YouTube channel, check out my profile if you're interested.
> 
> Faye and Frisk were staring at each other. They were a distance apart.

Faye had a sad look on her face. She was hugging herself, her lip trembling.

[A/N: Play this song, I made it myself :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkzZOVeRW0k

"You are different than everyone else," a raspy, unusual voice told Faye. Faye was very young. She was wearing a dress and her hair was down. Her ribbon was brand-new. She stared at a child ahead of her who was completely grey. Their eyes were hidden by hair.

"W… who are you?" she asked. They almost looked… familiar.

"I am a giver of powers," the child responded. "It is because of me that a friend of yours may spontaneously develop some kind of superhuman ability on your journey."

"W-what…?" Faye asked. "'Journey'…?"

"It surprises me that you're confused," the child commented, tilting their head. "Should you not already know about the journey?"

"Um…" Faye looked away. "Well… I had this weird dream where I was… climbing up a mountain with B-Brayden, this nice kid and some other kids…?"

"Well…" the child had a strange look on their face. "That is part of the journey. You will understand more later on."

"... okay…" Faye replied. She was very confused. She didn't even know where she was right now!

"Fear not, young one," the grey child said. "Or perhaps, fear very much. I have not told you everything yet. You are different from the others. You do not need my help to acquire powers. You are one of the lucky SOULs that already has them."

"W-what…?" Faye's eyes widened.

"I know you can predict the future, but I also believe you can do something related to time… and another power that I really know nothing about." the child replied.

"Something related to time…" Faye mumbled. Suddenly, present Faye remembered the Sans fight. She'd had a plan. She watched Frisk, who was about to fall off the wall. As they did, she held out her hand. Time slowed down, eventually stopping. Frisk was hovering in mid-air. Sans was frozen. Everyone was frozen. Faye turned towards the wall of bones. She had to be quick. This power only lasted a few seconds. She held out her other hand. The bones turned cyan. The colour of her soul. Now that they were cyan, she could make them disappear.

"I… I can't tell anyone about this…" Faye looked down at her feet, trembling. The grey child tilted their head.

"Why?" they asked, somewhat incredulous.

"They'll all think I'm… a monster…" she said. She could see it in her head. "I'm some… crazy… witch, a terrible person…" She wiped her eyes, feeling almost ashamed. "Nothing good will happen to me."

"Hmm," the child sounded thoughtful. "Understandable, but I should hope you change your mind. If they find out by themselves… then well…" They had a dark look on their face. "It will not end well for you."

Faye shoved Cody out, below Frisk. She took a breath, and then time resumed. Everything was going to be okay.

"I'll… keep that in mind…" Faye said. "Thank you." She looked at the child. She bit her lip. "Your name… is… Chara, right?"

"Yes," Chara replied. "I am 'Chara', the fallen human." They paused. "Do not forget my words. Don't forget what you are fighting for, human."

Faye stared at Frisk, hugging herself. She didn't want it to come to this. She didn't want to hurt that child. Despite everything… she couldn't get their smiling face and kind words out of mind. They had meant so much to her. She didn't want to believe they were a horrible person.

No wonder she had hid while they were fighting everyone else. She couldn't bare to hit them.

But now… they had gone too far. They'd killed him. Everyone. As much as she didn't want to…

"If… you're still my friend…" Faye looked at Frisk, her eyes sad. "You'll… stop all of this. You'll put your weapons down and you'll reset." She wiped her eyes. "It'll be like none of this ever happened."

Frisk took a step towards her. The grip on their sword was shaking. They weren't totally confident about hurting her either. But they had no choice. She was in their way.

And anyone in their way would die.

Frisk bent their knees. They held out their sword, staring at the girl. Then without another blink, they ran towards her, picking up speed. Faye stood there silently, her eyes closed. She watched them approach her. She took a deep breath.

Frisk held their sword at her chest. They moved their arm back…

As they brought their sword-wielding arm down, time stopped. Frisk was frozen. They couldn't move. But Faye could.

"I'm so sorry..." she said. She held out her toy-knife, a small smirk on her face. "... so sorry for not killing you earlier."

Suddenly, she stabbed Frisk in the heart. She resumed time, allowing the child to fall to their knees. They clenched their chest, which was bleeding red and black liquids. They breathed heavily, their eyes watery. Faye was looking down at them with a creepy smile.

"Don't tell me you don't deserve it," she said. "You deserve every last hit you get, you idiot. Sure you can heal yourself, but I'll find a way to break you. I'll tire you out. I'll make you so sick of this world you'll leave and never come back. I will not let you win. I don't care if we have to wait here for a hundred years, I will stop you."

Frisk clenched their chest. HATE rushed through them. It healed the wound in their chest. Barely. Any stronger and they would be dead. They stood up, their signature red spear flashing out of their right eye. Faye grinned.

"I guess this is going to get pretty interesting then, huh?" she asked. Frisk ran towards her, holding their sword out.

"You idiot," Faye smirked. "You haven't seen ANYTHING yet."

Faye glowed cyan. Frisk stepped back, giving her an odd look. She was… transforming? Frisk recognized what she was transforming into.

HyperFaye.

That… fairy version of herself? Frisk was stunned. They had no idea it was actually real.

A/N: Play this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbqoImQZ-EY

Faye was now wearing a long, light cyan cloak that was split into two around her midsection. She was wearing turquoise leggings underneath it and blue boots. The cloak covered her arms like a t-shirt. A picture of her soul was on her chest. Her hair was no longer in a ponytail, yet she still had her ribbon. Translucent, light blue fairy-like wings were attached to her back.

Frisk observed her, their head tilted.

"My secret," Faye said. Her voice sounded… more powerful. "You're very lucky, Frisk. You're the first one who gets to see this form in action! Oh, and everyone reading, of course."

Frisk glanced at their sword.

Wake up...

The nightmare never ends…

The eighth human jumped towards Faye, swinging their sword at her. She flew out of the way, her hair flowing behind her. She held up her toy knife, which had turned cyan. It had extended in length, and did not look like a toy anymore.

"What does that mean...?" Faye asked Chara.

"You will know one day," Chara told her.

Now Faye knew. She was fighting for the whole world.

She slashed her knife against Frisk's sword.

"You may've got past the others, but you won't get past me," she told them. She thought about Brayden. She didn't even try to protect him, despite all the times he'd tried to protect her. She felt like a horrid friend.

Her eyes glowed. "I'll stop you. That is a promise."

She sliced Frisk across the chest, smashing them into the ground. They quickly stood up and summoned red spears. Faye flew out of the way, her palms glowing. She raised her arms, causing a blue patch to appear underneath Frisk. They jumped off the patch, narrowly avoiding getting skewered.

"Everything we've done so far comes down to this," Faye sighed. "The 'finale'. This is the ending of this story, this 'fanfiction'. But… what is there after a story ends? What happens? There is nothing there for us anymore. In the end, no character in a 'fanfiction' chooses their own fate. Our story will end eventually and we'll be stuck that way forever." She shrugged. "So… why bother trying to destroy something that's just going to end anyway? This isn't a video game. You can't just be reset by any random old player. You're stuck in words, in time, and you can't go anywhere or do anything."

"The world is not real," Chara admitted. "I know it. It is just a story, a hyperbole. That is what this timeline is. It isn't like other timelines. It is just a story. A 'fanfiction'. There is no more reality here than in any other timeline."

"... a fanfiction?" Faye asked.

"Yes," Chara replied, their head down. "We are just words that are read. We are nothing more. Not that it is better in other timelines. There we are just pixels on a screen, programmed to do certain things. We will never have any control over own destiny. We can only pretend."

They made a face. "It's almost as if… somewhere, we are just... fictional characters."

Frisk held their head down. They stared at the girl for a few moments. Then suddenly, they jumped up, aiming their sword at her chest. She moved out of the way.

"You really are determined…" she admired, smirking. "Nothing will change your mind."

She swung her knife at them again. The child moved out of the way. Faye clenched her fist, stopping time. She approached Frisk with her sword. She had to be quick. She could only freeze time for a few seconds...

"That sounds… sad…" Faye looked down.

"Don't be sad," Chara told her. "You are alive. Live and enjoy yourself. If you're lucky, you'll get a happy ending."

Faye couldn't get her mind off old memories. She was too distracted. Time resumed and Frisk sliced her arm. She held the injured arm with her other arm and flew into the air. She glanced nervously down at the child.

"Can't get distracted…" she mumbled. "I… I have to focus…"

Frisk summoned a Gaster Blaster. Faye sliced it down with her knife. Frisk propelled themself into the air; Faye flew higher, just dodging their swinging sword. The two stared at each other.

"Why did you have to kill them…?" Faye asked them. "You didn't have to kill anyone, but you did. You killed them all." She wiped her eyes. Frisk glanced away. "... why? Why would you…" She clenched her fists. "You killed my best friend and… and I didn't even get to say goodbye! Now they're all gone and there's no one left but me!" Her palms glowed blue. "Even if this is all a story, it matters to me! He mattered to me!" She sobbed. "YOU MONSTER."

The ground turned cyan beneath Frisk's feet. They tried to jump off, but they couldn't move. They stared up at Faye, who was giving them a sadistic smile. They held out their red shield just in time as a giant knife appeared beneath them. They were nearly skewered alive. They threw a few spears at the girl; she swiftly dodged. She flew high into the air and watched Frisk for a few moments. They jumped up towards her, holding out their sword. Faye grinned and grabbed their arm as they approached her. She slammed them into the ground.

"Aww, you're so sweet," Faye accepted a golden flower Frisk had got for her.

"Not as sweet as you." Frisk said, smirking. Faye blushed and looked away. Then she looked down. Frisk noticed her somber expression.

"Are you okay?" they asked her gently.

"... nothing…" Faye said. She couldn't get the feeling out of her heart that they were...

"Everything you've done," Faye said, her voice choked up with tears. "Everyone you've hurt…" She sliced her knife at the child again. Black goop trickled out of their eye. "I… I'll make you regret it!"

Faye clenched her fists, her hair flowing around her. Her eyes glowed blue. She threw a wave of knives at Frisk. They jumped out of the way, but she wasn't finished yet. She froze time, and this time, didn't let herself get distracted. She stabbed the child in the back with her knife. They fell to their knees. Hate was healing the hole in their chest, but while they were focused on that, they didn't realise the ground was trapping them in one place.

"You'll regret ever coming here!" Faye informed them. She raised her hand, and an assortment of translucent, cyan swords came up through the blue patch, stabbing the eighth human. Blood and black goop was everywhere. Faye then trapped them in a cage made of the same stuff. Frisk was frozen solid, their body skewered. They couldn't move. They couldn't think. They were completely stuck.

"You'll never get out of that, Frisk," Faye told them. "You'll be stuck there forever… until you get so sick of it and finally leave. I'll wait as long as I have to. You'll never get out."

She sat on the ground, cross-legged and watched the eighth human with a creepy grin.

Frisk's mouth foamed. Blood was dripping down their cheeks. The pain was so severe it was numbing them. They could barely see. They felt only darkness and pain.

Faye was staring at them. Frisk noticed she was trembling. Frisk closed their eyes.

But they refused to let this be the end. Nothing would stand in their way.

Frisk smiled.

[Now Play https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mDYwORrHXE

Suddenly Frisk broke out of the cyan prison, their sword in grip. Faye was so startled she didn't have enough time to react to them slicing her across the chest. She quickly flew into the air, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"How…?" she asked. "How did you…"

Frisk continued glitching black and red. They jumped towards the girl; she narrowly dodged. Her chest was aching. Red was covering her clothing. She was losing health.

"How…" she mumbled. "It… it was… all planned, you couldn't have…"

Frisk had become insanely quick. They zipped behind Faye, cutting off her wings. She fell to the ground, feeling weaker than ever.

"H… help me…" she croaked. She weakly held up her sword at the approaching Frisk, but she knew she was hopeless. They were too strong. What was she thinking, trying to fight them?

She tried to stop time, but it drained her. She could barely move. It's like she was caught in one of her own traps.

She felt Frisk stab her through the abdomen, which caused her to return to her normal form. She sniffled, pain overwhelming her mind. Tears were covering her face. Blood was everywhere. Frisk turned and started walking away.

"F… Frisk…" Faye croaked, looking at the determined human. Frisk stopped, but didn't turn around. "Don't forget what you're leaving behind… d-d-don't forget everyone who cared about you… think about everyone who loves being here, alive… you're taking so much away from people who don't deserve it… just because you're… afraid…" She coughed, her eyes going grey. "It... it's such a... beautiful day today... nature is... so pretty... so..."

She stopped moving.

Frisk paused for a few moments. They bit their lip, then continued walking. The Erase Button was so close…

It was the only thing their mind could focus on anymore.

Then a familiar voice rang out from behind them.

"Child."

Frisk turned around. They were face to face with the one they'd feared most.

Chara.


	48. The End

Chara was smiling. Frisk clenched their fists. They would've been less annoyed if Chara was frowning or glaring at them.

"Well well well," Chara said. "It seems you have reached the end."

Frisk held out their sword. Not even Chara was going to stand in their way.

"You really are so desperate?" Chara asked. Their tone was more emotional now. "You can still turn back, human. It is not worth ruining everyone else's happiness for your own fear. Show me that there is still some good left in you. Show me that you still care, even a little bit, about everyone else. Show me that you will not give up on this world!"

Frisk raced towards Chara, holding up their sword. Chara gritted their teeth.

"You truly are the worst being I have ever laid eyes on." they growled. They held back a sob. "And I loved you of all things."

Frisk continued their pursuit towards the First Human. A tiny bit of feeling tugged at their heartstrings, but they held it back with a gulp. They raced forward, their sword in grip. Chara's face was expressionless.

Frisk stabbed them through the chest.

Chara kept smiling. They laughed darkly, their body cracking and disappearing.

"This is how it ends," they said. "With betrayal… and murder. I see now… why… the Player is the one that controls you…" They looked at Frisk, still smiling. "Because you are no different than they are."

Frisk felt a stab of pain in their heart. Yet they didn't look back. Instead they focused on the ERASE button.

"... no," Chara looked down. "It is not over yet… I came here to stop you… the whole world is counting on me. The Fallen Angel."

Suddenly, the souls of the other humans floated around Chara, making their body rise into the air. Many white souls - monster souls - also made their way towards Chara's body. Chara glowed. Frisk stared at the floating child. They couldn't move from their spot.

Then everything went white…

...

Chara was lying on the ground. They stood up weakly, rubbing their eyes. They stared at Frisk.

"Greetings," Chara said. "I am Chara."

They smiled. Their creepy smile.

"Thank you. Your power awakened me from death. My 'human soul'. My 'determination'. They were not mine, but YOURS. At first, I was so confused. Our plan had failed, hadn't it? Why was I brought back to life?" Chara paused. "Frisk… for the first time… it was truly your power that awoke me from death, rather than the player's. Your determination gave me strength. Our souls will always be connected, even when we're apart. But that does not mean our power cannot clash." They looked at Frisk. "I was resurrected for one reason, child."

Chara glowed and changed form. They were wearing a white cape that reached their boots. Their shirt was white, flowy and two golden stripes were on the arms. Two golden stripes were on their white pants. The delta rune was on their chest. They were wearing a golden belt, and two patches of fabric were on top of their knees. White horns sprouted from their head as well as feathery angel wings from their back. Their eyes glowed white.

The Fallen Angel.

Play https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Ow3eqFbLg

"TO stop you." Chara boomed. Their voice sounded like many voices at once. Frisk stepped back. They glanced at their own SOUL. It was going black.

A spirit can return to a regular human soul if they receive determination. With enough determination, a spirit can form a physical body made out of this determination. This power, however, requires at least some determination from seven DIFFERENT human souls (and in some circumstances, the souls themselves can be used - in this case, the spirit will become god-like).

Frisk had seen what Chara had done. They had used the six human souls as well as every monster soul, to count as a seventh human soul, to create this form of themself. Frisk gritted their teeth.

Chara raised their hands. Rainbow stars rained down from above, approaching Frisk. The child leaped out of the way. They formed their sword and ran towards the angel. Chara blasted them away with a wave of stars.

"You are a fool," Chara growled. "You are powerful, yes, and very determined, but you are not unkillable. I know from experience, child. I will end you."

Frisk held up their shield as Chara threw another wave of stars at them. The stars damaged their shield quite a bit. Frisk couldn't help but shiver.

Chara's eyes glowed cyan. They held up their hands, glowing, cyan knives appearing in their grip.

"I thought you were patient, being so nice to me and every monster you met," Chara said, in Faye's voice. "But from what I've seen… you're not patient enough to listen to anyone else's opinions or bother to notice how you're hurting people. You're only patient enough to harm."

Chara lunged towards Frisk and swung their swords. Frisk clashed their sword against Chara's. Chara's eyes lit up as they used their other sword to stab Frisk through the chest. Frisk fell to their knees, feeling HATE rushing through them.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Chara said, still using Faye's voice. "That's exactly what it felt like for us."

Frisk stood up, their eyes glowing black. They summoned spears and threw them at Chara. The angel flew out of the way. They held up a device full of energy and shot beams of stars at Frisk. Frisk defended themself with their shield as usual. They summoned a Gaster Blaster and unleashed its energy at Chara. Chara held up a shield of their own, protecting themself.

Chara's eyes suddenly glowed orange, as well as their fists. They glared down at Frisk.

"Being brave is facing fear even when you're scared yourself," they said in Brayden's voice. "You act brave, but you're not really brave. You don't have the courage to fight for yourself, so you'll go down and take everything else with you!"

Chara reached forward and punched Frisk in the jaw. This blow sent Frisk flying across the room. They smashed their head into the ground. Their sight went dizzy.

"You're just a coward," Chara told Frisk. "YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT YOURSELF!"

Frisk threw spears at Chara. Chara held up their shield. They smashed the ground with their fist, causing Frisk to fall over. They launched many stars towards the child. Frisk scrambled out of the way, holding out their sword. They glanced over their shoulder. Chara was holding up their hands, and suddenly bolts of lightning came down from above. Frisk ran as quickly as they could. They remembered this attack. Shocker Breaker.

Chara kept some of Asriel's memory alive. Frisk almost found that adorable.

Chara held up a Chaos Buster. They aimed it at Frisk. They unleashed its power onto the child. Frisk jumped out of the way, but got their arm scorched. They held it up to their body, rubbing it gently.

Chara's eyes glowed blue. Their legs turned blue as well. They attempted to kick Frisk; the eighth human held up their shield. Chara kicked the shield again, shattering the shield. Frisk was knocked back by the impact.

"I thought you were a good person, with a lot of integrity," Chara said, in Melody's voice. "But you're the complete opposite. You've lied. You've betrayed. And you've murdered."

Frisk fired multiple Gaster Blasters at Chara. Hate was coming out of both their eyes now, and their hands. Chara flew upwards, and prepared a bolt of energy in their hands. They threw it down at Frisk, causing an explosion. Frisk couldn't stand up for a few seconds.

Chara glowed purple.

"While you persevered, you persevered for nothing good," they said, in Percy's voice. "You persevered for evil. You persevered for the end of the world."

Giant, floating words approached Frisk. They zoomed towards the child. Frisk held up their shield, but the words were too powerful. Their HP decreased as they were flung to the floor. Black goop dribbled out of their eyes.

"BAN KAI!" Chara yelled. They swung a purple katana at Frisk, causing black goop to drip out of their chest. Their soul cracked as they struggled to stand up.

Frisk stared back up at Chara. Bolts of power came down, towards the child. Frisk hit some them away with their sword. Chara brought out both the cyan knife and the purple katana and swung them at Frisk. Frisk jumped backwards, yet the impact still made them smash their head into the floor. Chara prepared another bolt to launch at them. Frisk scrambled out of the way just in time.

"At first, we all thought you were kind," Chara said, now in Cody's voice. "Selfless. Empathetic. But you couldn't be further from the truth. The only person YOU care about is yourself!"

Chara summoned a bright green shield. They launched at it Frisk. Frisk dodged it, holding their sword out behind them. They zoomed away quickly, narrowly avoiding being penetrated by a shield.

"I tried so hard to give you another chance," Chara emotionally continued in Cody's voice. "But you took advantage of me."

Chara summoned a wave of green fire. They blasted it at Frisk; the child neatly dodged. However, the second blast burnt them to the core. Frisk fell to their knees, their breathing choked and heavy. Hate made them glitch black for a moment.

Chara held up another Chaos Buster. They aimed it at Frisk and fired. Frisk held up their shield, crawling back. Their arms and legs felt wobbly. They didn't know how much longer they could go on for.

No… Frisk clutched their chest. They had to stay determined…

Didn't they?

Chara's eyes turned yellow. They held out a gun.

"You've done nothing but commit crimes," they growled in Clover's voice. "Murder, betrayal, you name it. You're a criminal, Frisk. I will bring justice to me and my dead friends."

Frisk avoided as many of the bullets as they could, but one got them in the heart. They fell to their knees. They breathed heavily, HATE rushing through them.

"This is where it ends." Chara said, back to their own voice. They blasted a bolt of pure energy at Frisk. An explosion boomed through Frisk's ears. The child closed their eyes. They couldn't feel anything. Not even darkness. They tried to get up, but they couldn't. They couldn't do anything.

"You see?" Chara asked, bitterness in their tone. "You do not have the determination to defeat me."

Frisk's legs and arms were aching. Black goop was surrounding them. Every time they tried to move they felt a jolt of sharp pain.

"You do not win this time," Chara told Frisk with a dark smile. "I promised that karma would come."

Frisk suddenly felt mad. Chara was acting like such a goody-two-shoes, when that was far from the truth. Chara wasn't completely innocent. They had a dark and twisted side. Frisk knew it.

Frisk glared at Chara.

"You really think I'm the only bad one here?" Frisk asked, gritting their teeth.

"So now you chose to speak?" Chara asked mockingly.

"You manipulated Asriel," Frisk pointed out. "You'll kill people if you really want something to go your way. I know it, Chara. I know how cruel you can be. You're just like me."

"I admit, I have been cruel," Chara sighed. "And yes, I have a tendency to manipulate. But I am NOTHING like you. I would never attempt to murder another without good reason. I would not act so cowardly towards that ridiculous player."

"Liar," Frisk growled. "You killed people on the genocide run. You killed your own best friend and family!"

"That was the Player's doing," Chara snapped. "Once, their actions were correct to me too. I believed everything they did was right, including murder." They bit their lip. "How foolish I was… how childish…"

"That's why I'm here," Frisk replied. "To stop that from ever happening again!" They wiped their eyes. "You think I don't care about anyone? You think I'm evil? No! I'm doing everyone a favour because I do care about them! I don't want anyone to have to experience the Player's torment again!"

Chara raised their hands. Their hands were glowing rainbow.

"You of all people should know that there is always another way," they said. "Have you not noticed that everyone is fine as they are? A reset button exists. The Player always gets their karma in the end." They frowned. "Even if you are suffering, it is not fair to bring everyone else down with you. And that is why I'm here. I will save you."

"I don't need you to save me," Frisk growled at Chara. "I don't need love anymore when I have HATE. All this HATE from the Player… I'll give them back all the pain they gave us!"

Chara was about to say something, but Frisk continued.

"They'll regret ever coming here!" Frisk screamed, emotion making their voice crack. "I don't care if you think it sounds selfish, I can't live with this pain anymore! I don't get reset! I remember everything horrible thing that happened! We're stuck in... in this STUPID endless loop of nightmares! And I don't want anyone else to suffer again because of what they make me do!" They glowed black as they approached Chara. "Throw whatever you have at me, Chara. You will NEVER stop me!"

Chara bowed their head. They formed a beam of many colours above their head.

Frisk was now crying. Their eyes had become normal.

"I thought you of ALL people would understand, Chara!" they yelled. "But you just kept standing in my way. I got rid of you, but you always came back. I'm sick of it. You're never gonna stand in my way ever again, Chara. If I have to, I'll destroy you first."

Chara narrowed their eyes. "Do you really think I like this existence? I do not. But I do not think it's fair to take the life away from so many innocent people. I have learned that over time." The beam in their hands grew brighter. "If I die protecting the world, then that will be better than living to know I failed."

Frisk clutched their chest. Their black soul flashed red for a moment.

"That's why I still love you, Chara," they said quietly. "You're always being… good..."

Chara bared their teeth. "Do not tell me that nonsense! You only love yourself!"

"I never stopped loving you, Chara," Frisk replied. Their SOUL turned black. "That's another reason why I want to destroy the world. I don't want anything else to come between our love. We will be in peace forever."

Chara bowed their head. "It's already too late for that, idiot."

Frisk clenched their fists. "I'll show you what you mean to me, Chara!"

Chara felt the power in their hands. All the determination and love rushed through them. They launched the energy at Frisk. Every SOUL inside their body was pounding. The humans and monsters were united as one, protecting their universe.

Frisk made a shield of all the HATE they could gather. They were covered in the black goop, and used a wall of the stuff to shield themself. The rainbow energy smashed against their shield, forcing Frisk backwards. They kept pushing forwards, refusing to give in.

Chara glowed cyan.

"I am filled with PATIENCE!" they declared, in Faye's voice. The energy smashed against Frisk's shield turned cyan. Frisk dug their foot into the ground, gritting their teeth. Their back was bent.

Chara glowed orange.

"I am filled with BRAVERY!" they yelled, now in Brayden's voice. The energy bolt turned a vibrant orange. Frisk kneeled down, still pushing forward. Their eyes were shut tightly.

Chara was glowing blue.

"I am filled with INTEGRITY!" they shouted with Melody's voice. The bolt turned blue, forcing Frisk back even more. The child felt their grip slipping. They clutched their chest.

Chara had turned purple.

"I am filled with PERSEVERANCE!" they continued with Percy's voice. The energy was now purple, and Frisk was beginning to feel their arms turn to jelly. They took a deep breath and forced more HATE into the shield.

Chara radiated a green colour.

"I am filled with KINDNESS!" Chara bellowed in Cody's voice. Now Frisk was covered in green energy, and they could hardly move anymore. They thought about when it was just them and Chara having fun and bonding. Chara was happy back then.

But Frisk had ruined everything.

Chara turned a bright yellow.

"I am filled with JUSTICE!" they roared in Clover's voice, unleashing their yellow power onto Frisk. Frisk, now only able to hold up one arm, thought about the journey. The friends they had made with the other human souls. They had betrayed them all, so cruelly…

People they cared about...

Friends...

Family...

Chara glowed white.

"I am filled…" Their eyes went wide. "With love!"

White energy zoomed towards Frisk. The love from all the monsters. Frisk couldn't fight back against that power. Tears streamed down their face.

Murderer.

Frisk glanced down at their hands, their shield cracking. They thought about monsters. Monsters had always been so nice to them. Toriel had taken good care of Frisk, giving them Butterscotch Pie and often telling them a bedtime story. Papyrus and Sans were sweet and caring big brothers, despite Papyrus' awful spaghetti. Undyne was like a protective big sister, while Alphys was that geeky aunt. Asgore was just like a dad. Every one of them was family to Frisk. The humans too.

Frisk thought about their human friends. They loved them all. Faye was sweet and well-mannered. Brayden was loud but certainly very compassionate. Melody was snarky but had a kind-hearted side. Percy had amazing intelligence and, even if he wasn't good at expressing it, he cared about his friends. Cody was always selfless and loving and Clover was protective, yet loving as well. And Chara…

Frisk closed their eyes.

"This is for everyone," they muttered. "No one will ever get hurt ever again."

They felt a rush of determination. They opened their eyes again, which glowed a mix of red and black.

"I love you," they said quietly. "All of you. I love you." They raised their voice, sounding emotional. "I LOVE YOU ALL!" They leaped up, using their sword. "AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS PROTECT YOU!"

Frisk aimed their sword at Chara's chest. Chara looked up and stared at them, but it was too late. The sword had gone through their chest.

And everything went white.

…

"Oh Chara," Frisk patted Chara's head. "Don't be sad. I don't think you're a bad person at all!"

"They always did," Chara grumbled. "Humans were always so unkind to me. It is obvious why."

"Well, I'm not unkind to you, right?" Frisk asked, grinning. "You deserve love too, Chara."

"No I do not." Chara growled, looking away.

"Yes you do," Frisk said, wrapping their arms around Chara's chest. "Whether you like it or not, I'll always love you."


	49. Somewhere over The Rainbow...

…

Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfWrwKWXRp4

"... Hey, Chara, can I ask you something?"

"... What is it, Frisk?"

"I mean, if it's too personal you don't have to answer but… um… before you… y'know, fell down Mt Ebott… did you… did you have a family on the surface? Or some… people you knew?"

"..."

"... yes. I do not consider them 'family', only the ones that brought me into the world. I do not want to talk about them… why do you ask?"

"Well, ya see… I was wondering if… you could help me find my family. I don't really have any memories of anything before falling down Mt. Ebott. The only thing I remember is my name, and that I like travelling and stuff… so, I have to have a family somewhere, right…?"

"..."

"Well… I do have an answer for you, but… I do not think you'd want to hear it."

"Of course I wanna hear it! I've been looking for answers since, well, forever!"

"... are you absolutely sure you want to hear the truth? I fear it will cause you disrest."

"Yes I do!"

"..."

"... very well. The truth is, Frisk… you do not have a family."

"What...?"

"You were made for only one purpose, and that is to serve the demands of the player. Everything you are - your gender, your age, your personality… it is all meant to stem from them. That includes your backstory, as well. Because there are so many different players, you do not have a single 'true' life. Sometimes you are an orphan, sometimes you come from an abusive family… whatever the case, you're not really in control of your own life. You don't have any real relatives aside from the player. They are your master and you are their puppet."

"..."

"Then… I… I don't have… a family?"

"You didn't even have a life before Mt. Ebott, child. Everything you are now is because of the Player, even your SOUL. They gave you their determination."

"... I…"

"You are different from the other human souls in that way too. While, yes, they have different destinies and personalities and genders in various timelines, they aren't connected so deeply with the player. Not as much as you are. You are nothing without the Player. Without them, you are weak. And by default, I'm vaguely connected too, considering we have the same soul trait. But not nearly as much as you. I have more control over myself."

"..."

"That… look in your eyes, Frisk… are you…"

"I'm fine, Chara."

"I have a feeling that you aren't being honest with me."

"I'm fine."

"I did warn you… I wasn't trying to be cruel, I was just telling the tr-"

"I said I'm fine!"

"Frisk… you know… I didn't say you could not make a new family for yourself. You have friends, do you not?

"It doesn't change the fact that my life… my life is meaningless!"

"Your life isn't meaningless, you are very impor-"

"I'm gonna go now."

"Wait, Frisk…"

"..."

"You do not understand, child… you are developing your own life by yourself, despite your empty past… and that's what I love about you…."

Frisk didn't know where they were. Were they in the Void? Darkness was all around them. They stood up, hugging themself. They felt… cold.

"You… you really hate me that much?" Toriel's voice asked, as the monster herself appeared in front of Frisk. She was slowly disappearing.

Not again… Frisk clenched their fists.

"Now I see who I was protecting by keeping you here…" Toriel continued, a grin on her face. "Not you… but them!"

Toriel, I… Frisk thought. I… I couldn't stop them…. It's too late to…

Frisk was suddenly whisked into Snowdin. Papyrus was standing in front of them, holding out his arms like he wanted a hug.

You can't kill him, Frisk begged in their mind. Don't make me do it!

But it was too late.

"W-WELL, THAT'S NOT WHAT I EXPECTED…" Papyrus said, decapitated. "BUT… STILL, I BELIEVE IN YOU! YOU CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER! EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK SO! I… I PROMISE…"

He turned to dust.

Frisk sobbed in their mind. They were losing themself more and more.

Papyrus! They begged. C-come back! I need you! I can't handle this anymore!

Frisk almost thought they had a chance when Undyne the Undying appeared. She was powerful and a strong target. The player struggled fighting her for a long time.

But the fight could not last forever.

"Damn it…" Undyne sighed, shaking as her body disappeared. "So even THAT power… it wasn't enough…? Heh… heheheh…" She smiled. "If you… if you think I'm gonna give up hope, you're wrong. 'Cause I've… got my friends behind me! Alphys told me she would watch me fight you… and if anything went wrong, she would evacuate everyone. By now she's called ASGORE and told him to absorb the six human souls." She began to melt. "And… with that power… This world will live on!"

Oh Undyne… Frisk looked down. They began to feel numb. Yet, there was a slight bitterness in their soul as well. A rage. Hate. Burning hate.

"papyrus... do you want anything?"

It's all my fault, Frisk thought. They ran away from the dying monsters, entering more darkness. They all died because I'm not strong enough. I couldn't save them. I'm the worst friend ever!

Frisk ran past piles of dust. Then they saw Flowey in front of them. He had Asriel's face. He was sobbing.

"See?" he squeaked. "I never betrayed you! It was all a trick, see? I was waiting to kill him for you! After all it's me your best friend! I'm helpful, I can be useful to you. I promise I won't get in your way! I can help! I can…" His voice changed to Asriel's. "Please don't kill me."

Frisk turned away as Flowey was viciously stabbed.

I just wanted everyone to be safe, Frisk screamed. I never wanted it to end like this!

Frisk didn't know where they were going now. They were climbing up Mt. Ebott, passing by trees and bushes and other plants. Their face was scratched and their heart was racing. They didn't know where they were going. Voices were screaming at them from everywhere.

Darker, darker, yet darker.

You're not really human, are you?

No, you're just like me.

Empty inside.

Please don't hurt my family.

The will to keep living… the resolve to change fate. Let's call this power…

DETERMINATION

Frisk covered their eyes. They saw faces, too.

I do love you back, Frisk.

You do not even have a life.

It… it's such a... beautiful day today… nature is so pretty… so…

Frisk! You have to stay DETERMINED!

HATE is incredibly dangerous, Frisk, I do not recommend tampering with it.

But… we were already happy…

You… really hate me that much?

The darkness keeps growing…

The nightmare never ends…

You are no better than him.

Frisk suddenly wished someone would kill them. They couldn't live with this pain anymore.

But every time they died…

They always came back.

You will always have Love.

Frisk tripped down Mt. Ebott, but they only felt the desire to die as they fell. They looked up at the sky, tears trickling out of their eyes.

It's okay… I forgive you.

They landed on a bed of golden flowers. They gazed up at the sky, a sad smile on their face.

"Oh Chara…" they sighed, putting their face in their palms. They began to sob quietly. "You didn't deserve any of this… none of them deserved any of this… I'm… I'm a horrible person…"

A hand suddenly touched Frisk's shoulder. Frisk looked behind them and saw Asriel.

"Frisk…" Asriel sighed. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Asriel…" Frisk cried harder. "I couldn't even save you… I killed you!"

"Some people can't be saved." Asriel replied.

Frisk glanced at their soul. They choked up.

"Oh, by the way, someone wants to talk to you," Asriel said. He pointed at the gate leading to the RUINS. "They're through there."

"Oh…" Frisk said. They walked towards that door, their arms hanging by their sides. Memories floated through their mind.

They remembered walking through the RUINS with the other humans. Protecting them from monsters, solving puzzles…

Building friendships.

Play https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8mLKTY5TWM

"Hope." Percy monotonously admired, eyeing Frisk. "It is the thing that shines brightest in the dark, yet cannot be seen. To have it costs you nothing but to be without it costs you everything." Faye wondered if she'd heard that from somewhere. She and the others followed the eighth human. They were headed somewhere. Brayden and Clover easily kept up with them, but the eighth human didn't seem too interested in stopping. They finally stopped in the room with the mouse and cheese. They stood still for a few moments, looking at something or doing something. Their injuries vanished and they restored their HP.

"What in tarnation...?" Clover asked, staring at them. "How'd you do that, pardner?" They shrugged.

"That's awesome!" Brayden cheered, fist-pumping the air. "Show me how to do that!" The others saw this as well. Cody gave the eighth human a hug, very relieved. Faye was watching in awe. There was something special about that kid. Something very special indeed.

…

"That is one strange kid," Melody breathed. She adjusted her bun. "But my goodness, I'm relieved. I didn't want them to die, even though it's really their fault we're down here."

"I like them," Faye spoke up. She really did. "I think they're nice."

Frisk remembered Snowdin, too…

"YEAH! YOU GUYS CAN'T STOP US!" Brayden yelled, throwing more snowballs.

"Augh! I hate this!" Melody complained, glaring at the snow all over her.

"You're just sad 'cause you can't beat us!" Brayden teased, blowing a raspberry. The eighth human threw a snowball at her in agreement. "YEAH! HIGH-FIVE, STICK KID!" They high-fived each other. Brayden frowned. "You can do better than THAT!" The eighth human hit his palm with all their might. They almost knocked him over. "YEAH! THAT'S THE STUFF!"

Frisk thought about Waterfall too…

"It looks ancient." Percy observed the statue. He took notes. The eighth human gestured for the rest of the kids to follow them. In the next room was a basket full of umbrellas and a waterfall. The eighth human picked up an umbrella. They held it above their large head.

"An umbrella!" Cody observed, clapping his hands together.

"Why didn't you tell me there were umbrellas? I could've spared my hair!" Melody complained, fingering her bun. The eighth human led everyone back to the statue room. They placed the umbrella on top of the statue.

Inside the statue, a music box begins to play...

"Oh wow..." Faye was sitting right next to the statue. A beautiful yet sad song began playing. It made Melody feel very nostalgic. She felt like she had heard that song somewhere. She stayed in the corner, doing a little dance.

"Oh Clover!" Cody sniffled. He hugged his sister, his voice cracking. Clover hugged him back. Percy couldn't even take notes. He simply stared. Brayden stared too. He wasn't yelling for once. The eighth human sat there for a moment, more creases on their face. They looked so pained, yet they were smiling. They briefly laughed for a moment, making another sound. They had a quiet laugh, that once might've been more cheerful.

Frisk gave themself a private smile.

"S-see that building in the distance?" Alphys rung. "That's the CORE. The source of all power for the underground. It converts geothermal energy into magical electricity, by... uhh, anyway, that's where we're going to go. In the CORE is an elevator directly to ASGORE's castle. And from there... you guys can go home." Alphys hung up.

"AWESOME!" Brayden cheered. Cody smiled. He liked the CORE a lot more now.

"Then let's get there." Clover said.

"Wait," Faye spoke up. "That means we're getting closer to the end. To home... and to... Chara." She made a face. Cody patted her shoulder.

"We'll be fine, Faye," he told her. "We'll be able to stop Chara. Right, guys?" He eyed his friends.

"Right, bro," Clover replied. She put her arms around Faye and Cody. "And we'll get home. Trust me, the bad won't win." The eighth human nodded, though they were twitching. They must've been very nervous. But wasn't everyone?

Frisk picked up a batch of golden flowers. A tear slipped down their cheek.

It's... over...

"No it's not." a voice protested. A familiar voice. Suddenly, the six human souls appeared behind Frisk. Frisk turned around and stared at them. Their heart raced with glee... and relief.

"Oh how ADORABLE," Flowey said mockingly. "But you kids can't do anything."

"That's not true, Flowey," Melody retorted.

"We're the ones giving you your power," Percy added. "So we can just as easily take it."

"You can't," Flowey growled. "I'm the one in control. You all do what I say."

"Not anymore," Clover growled. "You're not controllin' anyone ever again."

"You didn't deserve to control anyone in the first place!" Cody added.

"YOU COWARD!" Brayden bellowed. "WE'LL ALL CRUSH YOU INTO FLOWER MUSH!"

"Bye bye." Faye waved at Flowey, her tone slightly creepy.

"Now you DIE!" all the kids yelled together.

Frisk could see something in the distance...

"You will always be with me, yes?" Chara asked Frisk, hope in their eyes.

Frisk smiled approvingly at them.

"Of course, Chara," they said. "Don't you worry. I'll always be there for you. We're partners after all, right?"

"Yes," Chara smiled. "Yes, we are."

Chara knew it now.

"I do," they said, still smiling. A happy smile. "I do love you back, Frisk."

"Chara…" Frisk said. Their grin broadened and they ran towards the first human.

"It is you." Chara growled, their arms folded.

"Chara… I'm… I'm so sorry…" Frisk fell to their knees, in front of Chara. "I… I… I see what I'm leaving behind now… I… I can see how horrible I really am…" They began sobbing. "I thought I was protecting everyone, I thought I was saving us all so much pain… but I was just being selfish…" They kept crying. "You were always right, Chara! You tried to help me, and all I did was hurt you. I understand if you hate me… but I will always love you. You're the hero, the Fallen Angel… not me. Never me. I'm just… the Player. You're the most amazing person I've ever met… no… if the other human souls are in there, somewhere, you're all amazing! I never deserved any of your love. Chara is the one who deserves the love.

"I'm sorry I forced you all into this… I'm sorry I wasn't the friend you thought I was. I'm sorry I wasn't the hero either. I'm sorry I couldn't be that person for you. Even if you don't care for me, I will always care for you. I'll save the world for you. You're all my best friends. You are…"

Frisk smiled, tears dripping down their cheeks. "You are my family."

...

They looked away. "I wish I knew that… I wish I knew that rather than being obsessed with the whole Player thing. I should've just been happy with you guys instead of trying to get rid of the inevitable. I should've been a better friend. I should've… I should've… I…" They sobbed. "I should've been a better person!"

Chara looked down at the sobbing Frisk. They sighed and began to hum…

Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8gEjMsWwXg&t=127s

"Oh, somewhere over the rainbow…" they hummed.

Bluebirds fly…

And the dream that you dreamed of…

Dreams really do come true…"

...

"Oh, Chara…" Frisk laughed. "I remember that song…"

"I thought you would," Chara replied. "I had a feeling you would come to your senses eventually. Deep down, you are still the child I knew so long ago. You are the kind-hearted Frisk that cares only to protect. In a way, you were always that child. But your morality became corrupted. So I will not forgive you. Yet… I will not condemn you. You already understand what you have done."

"I'm really sorry…" Frisk wiped their eyes. "No one will forgive me. I don't even deserve to live…"

"Everyone deserves to live," Chara replied. "Even you. After all, if you deserve to die you have to live first, do you not? If you can still be a good person… if you can change… then you deserve another chance. Trust me. Return to the surface and be the best human you can be. You will show everyone how much you've learnt. You are not a horrible person anymore. You're striving to become a hero. A great person." They smiled. A pained smile.

"But what about you, Chara?" Frisk asked.

"Well…" Chara sighed. "I was meant to die a long time ago. It is time to end my destiny. My job has been completed. I don't have a reason to be here anymore."

"C… Chara…" Frisk covered their mouth.

Chara floated up into the air. SOULS flew out of them: the six human souls and many, many monster souls. Frisk stared at the colourful display, their mouth agape. Chara's eyes glowed as they returned to the ground.

The barrier was shattered.

"Chara…" Frisk looked at Chara. "You're wrong."

"Hmm?" Chara asked, tilting their head.

"I'm not the one who deserves a second chance," Frisk said. They smiled. "You are."

"Me?" Chara laughed. "Frisk, please-"

"I've had my second, third and who knows how many other chances," Frisk retorted. "You've barely had anything at all. And you deserve it so much more than I do… you know it. And besides…" Frisk held out their SOUL. It was glitching from black and red.

"Your SOUL is…" Chara stepped back.

"Broken…" Frisk nodded. "Because of all the HATE and stuff in my SOUL… I… knew this would happen, but I thought it wouldn't matter anyway because the world would be…"

"You cannot continue forward, can you…?" Chara asked, trembling. "No matter what we do, you…"

"I'm broken," Frisk laughed, tears in their eyes. "Even if you reset… I'll still be broken." They held out their hands. "That's why I want you to have the last remaining bit of my determination, Chara. I want you to have a second chance. With the mix of my determination and the others', you'll get your second chance... " They smiled. "You're the Fallen Angel, after all. You're the hero."

"Frisk… you cannot," Chara clenched their fists. "You fool… we will find a way to fix your SOUL! Your journey cannot be over yet! You are Frisk, you are important, the world needs you! You are the Eighth Human, the one that lives on! You always survive, you live no matter what! Your story isn't meant to end here! I…" They realised they were crying too. They screamed in agony. "I cannot stand to say goodbye to another loved one! I can't lose you! I need you here with me, Frisk! Don't you understand?!" They glared at Frisk. "I love you! I love you and I need you!"

"There's a million other Frisks," Frisk laughed it off, anxiously. "You'll find someone even better than me."

"No one can replace you!" Chara growled. "No other Frisk has been through what you have! You are my Frisk!"

"I love you, Chara," Frisk said, their body glitching grey. "I always have. Look after the others for me, okay...?"

"FRISK!" Chara growled, trying to grab Frisk to stop them from leaving. "I don't want you to leave me!"

But it was too late.

"I'll be in your memories..." Frisk told Chara, their face cracking. They held Chara's hand for one last time. Their body began to disappear. "B-be the best person you can for me, Chara... goodbye..."

Chara felt the determination enter their body. They roared in rage, tears everywhere. They heard Frisk's voice singing as the world flashed white…

"Someday I'll wish upon a star…

Wake up where the clouds are far behind me,

Where troubles melt like lemon drops,

High above the chimney tops,

That's where,

You'll find me…"


	50. Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed last chapter. ;) No it was planned before Glitchtale happened. Deal with it.
> 
> Next chapter is last chapter... yep, we're there already... brace yourselves. Gonna be a long author's note.
> 
> -CHARA-

"My child!"

Chara had not heard that voice for a long time. Hearing it made them feel a sentiment rise in their chest.

"Mom…" they mumbled, looking up. Two furry arms wrapped around them. They smelled faintly of butterscotch-cinnamon pie and motherly love. Toriel.

"Oh my child, you have returned to us!" Toriel said with glee. Asgore came over as well, smiling at Chara. He had tears in his eyes.

"Chara…" he sniffled. "It is so good to see you again." He continued crying, then joined in hugging Chara. Toriel gave him a faint glare, but did not push him away.

"Thanks…" Chara said, their voice trailing off. They almost said 'Dad'. But they didn't feel like they deserved such a loving family, despite everything...

"So you're this Chara we've heard about, huh?" Undyne asked, folding her arms. "The Fallen Angel?"

"I'm afraid so." Chara answered.

"Wow, you… really came back!" Alphys gasped. "I still don't get how… but it's incredible!"

"The power of Determination has many capabilities." Chara replied.

"SANS!" Papyrus yelled. "THERE'S ANOTHER HUMAN! OR IS THAT THE OTHER ONE WITH THE STICK?"

Chara's heart dropped.

"nah, they're the fallen angel, bro," Sans replied. "i dunno where the other one is. the other kids are here, though."

With that, the other children walked into the room.

"Oh my children!" Toriel gasped, smiling. She released Chara. "I am so glad to see you all alive and well!"

"Yeah, punks!" Undyne agreed. "If you kids died I… might've cried!"

"WELL, I DIDN'T CRY!" Papyrus said, proudly.

"then why were tears coming out of your eye sockets?" Sans asked.

"THERE WAS SOMETHING IN MY EYE!" Papyrus retorted.

"what was it?" Sans asked.

"TEARS!" Papyrus exclaimed, his voice full of emotion.

"Chara!" Cody gasped, running towards Chara. He gave them a hug, which made them tense up. Though, they were happy to see him. He reminded them so much of Asriel…

"Thank goodness you're okay." Melody sighed, smiling at Chara.

"YEAH!" Brayden agreed. He dug his knuckles into Chara's head, grinning broadly at them. "NOW WE CAN BE FRIENDS!"

Chara made a face of exasperation.

"Fascinating…" Percy was observing Chara. "The fact that you created a physical body out of SOUL power alone… fascinating…"

"Nice to see ya, Chara," Clover said. She folded her arms. "But where's Frisk?"

Chara's face went pale. They bit their lip.

"... Frisk…" they sighed. They chuckled quietly, with a small smile. "Frisk is… somewhere over the rainbow."

"What does that mean?!" Brayden asked, folding his arms.

"... Frisk is dead." Faye said, quietly.

"Frisk is WHAT?!" Undyne roared.

"That… that cannot be!" Toriel gasped with horror.

"Oh my God…" Alphys covered her mouth.

"WHAT?!" Brayden growled. He stormed up to Chara. "YOU'RE LYING! YEAH I KNOW FRISK DID A LOT OF BAD STUFF, BUT…"

"We… heard some of what they said to us…" Melody said. "... they… sounded… well, we couldn't stay completely mad at them."

"Oh Frisk…" Cody began to cry. He sobbed into his palms. "I… I wanted to give them another chance again… but…"

"We can just reset, right?" Brayden asked Chara, his lip trembling. "RIGHT?!"

Chara smiled sadly. "Their SOUL cannot be healed. They are gone for good."

"THERE THERE CODY, DON'T CRY," Papyrus knelt down to Cody's height. He patted his back. "IT WILL BE OKAY, WE WILL HAVE SPAGHETTI, AND MY PUZZLES, AND…" He began to cry as well. "THEY… THEY WERE THE FIRST ONE… THAT TRIED MY SPAGHETTI… THEY LOVED ME!"

"They loved everyone…" Cody sobbed into Papyrus' scarf.

"Dead…" Clover gritted her teeth, bowing her head. "In all honesty, they kinda deserved it but… man…" She trembled. "I… I don't like that feelin'..."

"They got karma." Chara replied sadly, yet smiling.

"THERE'S NO WAY THEY'RE DEAD!" Brayden roared. "THEY… THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T DIE!"

"They told me they would always be with me and they stabbed me," Chara snapped back. "They were never reliable."

"STUPID KID!" Brayden yelled, holding up his fists. "IF THEY WERE ALIVE I'D BEAT THEM UP!"

"They were horrible but… I miss them…" Melody admitted. "And… I want them back, despite how BAD they were." She wiped away tears. "Frisk you… idiot! Why… why did you have to…" She began to cry even more.

Brayden was trembling, his teeth bared.

"I'M NOT CRYING!" he yelled. "I DON'T CRY!"

He stared at Faye, who was gazing at the ground, almost with indifference. She looked up at him for a moment, and she had so much sorrow in her eyes. Brayden clenched his fists and fell to his knees. Tears trickled out of his eyes. He yelled in agony, punching the ground.

"DAMMIT!" he yelled. "DAMMIT, FRISK!" His breathing was heavy. "I WANT THEM BACK!" He continued sobbing. "I WANT THEM BACK!"

Faye walked over and sat next to Brayden. She cuddled him gently, giving him a small smile… though the sorrow was still in her eyes. He hugged her back, almost protectively.

Percy was panicking. His breathing was scattered. Clover glanced at him. She looked concerned. Though she couldn't blame him.

"Perce…" she sighed.

"Dead dead dead," he muttered. "So quickly, gone. A life taken away. They ruined themself…. My friend… my friend ruined themself… and they couldn't be saved..."

Clover shook her head. "Yeah. I know, Perce… dammit… that kid…" Her teeth were gritted. She was shivering. "I… I hated them… but I didn't want them dead, y'know? I wanna see justice but death…" She looked down. "... Cody was right. Killing that person who killed my mom… that's not justice… you're just bringing yourself to their level." She wiped her eyes. "I don't wanna be that person."

"I don't think you are that type of person," Percy said. "I mean, you could be, yes, but if you veer yourself in the right direction… then you will be a hero."

"I like that food for thought, Perce," Clover grinned at him. "You're a smart cookie, aren'tcha?"

"I'm not smart," Percy replied. He frowned. "I'm not a good best friend. I just… take notes… and Google things… I… I'm trying to be a better friend, not be so… anti-social."

"I can help ya with that," Clover told him. She shrugged. "Sure, I'm no professional at the whole social thing, but I'll give ya all the advice I've got. I mean, I can tell you're on the right track already, Perce. You'll be a good person. I promise."

Percy blushed. "T-thank… thank you…"

Chara stared at their shoes, feeling awfully guilty. Toriel was weeping quietly, her head down. Asgore was frowning. Undyne was screaming various curse words while Alphys was panicking. Sans had a dark look on his face.

"I… I am sorry…" Chara apologized. "I… I wish I could've saved them… but I failed."

"It is not your fault, my child," Toriel told Chara, patting their back. "Yes we are devastated… but you have returned to us! And the Barrier has been shattered! So at last, we may return to the surface."

"... I did as I said I would, so long ago..." Chara sighed. "Yes, the Barrier has been shattered. Finally… we may return to the Surface."

"But what about Frisk?" Melody asked. "We have to honour their life in some way, right…?"

"Yes, yes we do," Chara replied. "And I know the perfect location for such event. It is a bit of a travel away… but it will be worth it. Alas, if you would rather go to the Surface now…"

Brayden glared at them. "NO WAY! WE FELL IN TOGETHER, WE'RE LEAVING TOGETHER!"

"He's got a point," Clover folded her arms. "And besides, we're not gonna let Frisk get forgotten that quickly."

Chara smiled at the other humans.

"I guess… not all humans are bad," they said. "Come along, then. Let us honour the Eighth Human's life at the place it began."

"We will wait here for you," Toriel said. "While we miss them so, you all knew them better than we did. Give them our condolences."

"We shall." Chara said.

A/N: Play Reunited.

The group travelled through the Underground. They went through the places they'd had adventures in. They saw familiar faces and spoke to some old friends.

...

"You famous fetuses are back, huh?" Burgerpants sighed.

"We're free! The Barrier's been shattered!" Cody cheered.

"Mettaton told me as much," Burgerpants replied. "Then he told me, 'don't think that means you're getting out of work early'. Ah, my boss. I love that guy. And by that I mean I hate him so, so much." He made a face. "By the way, where's that weird kid with the stick gone?"

"HEY!" Brayden snapped, holding up his fists. "THEIR NAME WAS FRISK!"

"Frisk, huh…?" Burgerpants asked. "Did something happen to them?"

"We need to go." Chara interrupted, biting their lip.

...

"Undyne told us that the Royal Guard is being disbanded," one royal guard said. "Like, bummer… guess we'll have to get used to Love and Peace."

"That ain't a bad thing, y'know." Clover retorted.

"It is a bit when you're used to, like, Death and Destruction." the guard shrugged.

...

The kids visited Muffet, who thankfully was willing to forgive Cody and even gave him a hug.

"I… think there's a spider in my hair…" Cody mumbled, nervously patting Muffet's back. The spider lady chuckled.

"You are such a dear~" Muffet said, grinning widely. "Where is that other child? The one with the sword? I may forgive them as well."

"Lest we forget their admittedly short life." Chara sighed.

"Oh… they died?" Muffet looked sad. "That's terrible." She handed Cody a donut. "If you are going to bury them, put this on their grave for me, dearie~"

"Okay," Cody grinned. He took the donut. "Thank you."

...

The kids entered Tem Village. The tems were very excited about going to the Surface, aside from the one that was watching an egg hatch. Chara stayed out of Tem Village. That place made them… uncomfortable.

"COME ON!" Brayden yelled at a Temmie. "I'M NOT THAT SWEATY!"

"sMelli hooman." Temmie waved him away. Brayden angrily waved his fists in the air.

"i like Hoomans shOez!" another Temmie squealed. She stole one of Brayden's shoes.

"HEY!" Brayden yelled, running after the Temmie with one shoe. Clover burst out laughing. Melody rolled her eyes.

...

"Wa ha ha!" Gerson chuckled. "I knew you kids could do it!"

"Hey, you should tell us… about the Fluffybuns thing…" Faye said. "I'm interested…"

"I just want to know if ASGORE is a goat or some other animal." Percy commented.

"OK, OK, kids!" Gerson gasped. "I remember it clearly now. It was the monthly address at the castle, and the queen was giving her part on current events. After finishing her update, she moved to pass the microphone to the king. However, she didn't realise the microphone was still in her hands when she said: 'Your turn, Fluffybuns'."

"Aww!" Cody smiled.

"EWWWW," Brayden commented. "NO WAY I'M CALLING MY GIRLFRIEND THAT!" He looked thoughtful. "INSTEAD I'LL CALL HER… UHH… MELODY, WHAT DO I CALL HER?"

Melody sighed.

"The audience burst into laughter," Gerson said. "Realising what she had said, she started laughing too. After a few moments, the king held up his arms. The crowd grew silent. He leaned towards the microphone, expression… stern. 'Dear citizens. Thank you for coming here today. I… King Fluffybuns…' And the rest is history."

"Aww, that's so cute…" Faye giggled.

"Hmm, I remember being told that story…" Chara laughed silently. "M… Toriel and Asgore had… such a close bond… and so did we."

"You know the king and queen, kid?" Gerson asked Chara. He sounded thoughtful. "Your face… it's kinda familiar…"

"Perhaps… I do." Chara replied, chewing their lip with their head bowed.

...

"Human-darlings!" Mettaton exclaimed, as the humans found him and Napstablook hanging out. He had his body with the sexy legs. "Feast your eyes! Dr. Alphys completed my wonderful new body! Oooh! Did you hear? The barrier's open! I can't wait to see the sun… the greatest spotlight of all!"

The kids looked unamused.

"Oh yes," Mettaton made a face. "I suppose I should thank you too, darlings. Before fighting you I had... forgotten how fun it was to perform with others! So I've been searching for HOT TALENT to fill my upcoming troupe. So far, Shyren's agreed to be my backup singer. And Bl… Napstablook here, will be my sound-mixer! The three of us performing together… it really feels overdue, doesn't it?"

"That sounds… interesting," Melody said. "I've always liked performing… you don't have to say yes but maybe I could-"

"Oh yes, a human member!" Mettaton exclaimed. "What a brilliant idea! Melody-darling, you're a genius!" He gasped. "I heard you and that other one, Frisk I believe, perform together very well. Perhaps you should invite them to join in on the show as well!"

Melody's smile disappeared.

"... no one knows the truth?" she asked, staring at the ground.

"Frisk cannot perform with you," Chara told Mettaton, their voice quiet. "Because they are dead."

"Oh my God!" Mettaton shrieked. "When? How…? What happened to them?!"

"I don't want to talk about it again," Chara sighed. "We will accept your condolences."

...

The kids found the trash can again. It was dabbing.

"Let's ignore that atrocity of humanity." Chara grumbled.

One does not simply

Ignore the memes of life

...

The kids passed by Endogeny, in Snowdin town.

"The product of my determination is quite disturbing…" Chara commented.

"THAT IS ONE DOG I DON'T LIKE!" Brayden commented. "I MEAN, IT ALMOST KILLED ME!"

"And my brother." Clover added, giving her brother a glance.

"Yo!" Monster Kid grinned at the humans. "What's up! I've been, kinda doing some thinking. Maybe Undyne… isn't actually as cool as we thought. She's just… kinda mean."

"HEY!" Brayden grumbled. "I KINDA LIKE UNDYNE! EVEN THOUGH SHE SMELLS LIKE FISH!"

"Undyne is a true hero." Chara folded their arms.

"But YO!" Monster Kid squealed. "I just found out about someone WAYYYY cooler! Nyeh heh heh!"

"Cooler, because he comes from Snowdin." Faye winked. Everyone groaned.

...

Some monsters had apparently fixed the bridge that Frisk broke a long time ago. Seeing it made Brayden uncomfortable.

"Man…" he sighed. "I wish I could've helped them before they…"

"Frisk was not that type of person," Chara admitted. "They liked to deal with their problems by themself. They… isolated themself so much…"

...

The kids made it to the RUINS. The doors were open. They entered, Chara walking slightly ahead of them. Chara was holding their arms to their chest.

"Not far now," they said.

"Wow, feels like years since we were last here," Clover commented, shaking her head.

"Yeah…" Faye agreed. "I… kinda missed this place."

"Don't you DARE say you wished you'd stayed here!" Brayden growled at her.

"I wasn't gonna say that…" Faye replied. "I was gonna say… I'm glad I didn't stay. This journey made me really happy. Thank you… everyone."

"Aww," Clover grinned at her. "We're glad ya came too, Faye."

"HELL YEAH!" Brayden agreed, giving the blonde girl a noogie.

"You all have such a close bond…" Chara sighed. "Treasure it. Things like that… no amount of gold can ever save them if they were to disappear."

"GOLD can buy you manga," Percy replied. "That's close enough."

Chara made a face. Melody shrugged at them.

...

The kids finally made it to the end of the RUINS. They were reminded of when they first fell down. It felt like years ago...

They remembered the Surface too. At long last, they would be going home.

Yet… it wouldn't be the same without Frisk.

"I bet Frisk's family will be so upset…" Cody sniffled. "Their parents must miss them a lot."

Chara stopped moving. They almost burst into tears. They instead put on a smile.

"Yes," they said painfully, as if their throat was full of glass shards. "Yes, they would."

...

The kids entered the first room. The sun was still faintly shining down on the bed of golden flowers.

Chara began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Clover asked them.

"It is… it's just… interesting," Chara responded, still laughing. "My body is buried underneath these golden flowers. So… Frisk and myself will have the same place as a memorial."

"We landed on a dead person?!" Melody exclaimed.

"This timeline is… interesting," Chara replied. "So… interesting. In all other timelines, every human aside from Frisk is dead. In this timeline, we are all alive… aside from Frisk."

"WE'RE ALL DEAD IN ANOTHER TIMELINE?!" Brayden exclaimed.

"Yes," Chara replied. They turned and stared at the golden flowers. "I remember this place… so well. I fell here. We all fell here. And so we shall rise. But lest we forget."

They turned around and stared at the other humans. "Lest we forget the Eighth Human. Lest we forget the one who lived for honour and glory, heartache, murder, and died for the sake of the world. Lest we forget the one so terrible but so loveable. Lest we forget their undying determination, their passion, their will to live. Lest we forget their last sacrifice. Lest we forget everything they fought for. Lest we forget…" They paused. "Lest we forget…"

They clenched their fists, trying not to cry. "... forget…" They were trembling.

"Are you okay, Chara?" Cody asked. His eyes were full of tears.

"I'm…. fine…" Chara stammered. "No… I… I cannot finish this by myself…"

"Lest we forget their sins…" Faye said. "But lest we forget their kindness, either."

"LEST WE FORGET THEIR COOL SWORD SKILLS!" Brayden punched the air.

"Lest we forget their endless talents." Melody sighed.

"Lest we forget their intelligence." Percy said.

"Lest we forget their smile…" Cody sobbed.

"Even though they did a lot of bad stuff, lest we forget their good intentions." Clover said. She had removed her hat and was bowing her head.

"T-thank…. Thank you…" Chara said. They took a deep breath. "Lest we forget… lest we forget their love."

The kids all stood around the flowers. Cody sobbed into his sister's arm. She kept her head bowed.

"I'M NOT CRYING MELODY!" Brayden yelled. "YOU ARE!"

Melody patted Brayden's shoulder. He bared his teeth and started crying as well. Melody gave him a hug. She cried.

Chara stared at Faye. She stared back at them.

"I'm glad you told them the truth, in the end," Chara said.

"Thanks…" Faye said. She bowed her head. "But… I never saw… this coming…"

"Neither did I…" Chara replied. "Sometimes… things are better left off as mysteries." They sighed. "But as I said, you are alive. Live your life and enjoy yourself. You are free." They smiled. "That is the best we can hope for."

...

Asgore offered some Chara some of his golden tea when the children returned. They accepted it graciously.

"I... truly am sorry about what happened to my dear brother..." they said, frowning. "I would bring him back if I could, I hope you know that."

"Of course you would," Asgore patted their head. "You two would've done anything for each other, right?"

Chara wiped their eyes.

"I'd give my soul away if I had to." they replied, their lip twitching.

...

"My dear child..." Toriel hugged Chara once more. "I am not happy that you encouraged monsterkind to commit war... but you have redeemed yourself by saving everyone."

"I never wanted war anyway." Chara replied.

"That is my good child," Toriel said, wiping their cheeks. "I am so proud of you. You and the other children too."

Chara smiled sadly.

It was time to go.

It was really the end now. The kids faced the Barrier.

"Y'all ready?" Clover asked. The others nodded.

"It is time…" Chara sighed. "To go home."

The kids passed through the Barrier.


	51. Chara's Determination

Play Respite.

Finally…

The children and monsters had returned to the Surface.

Chara hadn't seen the sun for a long time. They smiled as it lit up their face, and their hair blew in the faint breeze.

"WOOHOO!" Brayden cheered, punching the sky.

"Home!" Melody sobbed. Cody was also sobbing and hugging his sister. Faye and Brayden were also hugging each other, while Percy kept a small smile on his face.

"Oh my…" Toriel admired the sunrise.

"Isn't it beautiful, everyone?" Asgore asked.

"Wow… it's even better than on TV…" Alphys commented. "Way better! Better than I ever imagined!"

"You kids LIVE with this?!" Undyne asked the group. "The sunlight is so nice… and the air is so fresh! I really feel alive!"

"HEY SANS…" Papyrus asked. "WHAT'S THAT GIANT BALL?"

"we call that 'the sun', my friend." Sans answered.

"THAT'S THE SUN? WOWIE!" Papyrus cheered. "I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M FINALLY MEETING THE SUN!"

"I could stand here and watch this for hours…" Asgore said, in awe.

"Yes, it is beautiful, is it not?" Toriel asked.

"Aside from the current energy crisis," Percy said. "That is not so beautiful."

"... but we should really think about what comes next," Toriel said, giving Percy an odd glance.

"Oh, right," Asgore cleared his throat. "Everyone… this is the beginning of a bright new future. An era of peace between humans and monsters." He paused. "Chara…" He faced said child. "As the Fallen Angel, a hero… will you be the ambassador to Monsterkind?"

Chara looked down.

"I would love to say yes, do not get me wrong," they said. "But… I don't… I…" They made a face. "As silly as it is, the thought of having to speak to so many humans all by myself… terrifies me." They shivered.

"Well… then, we could ambassadors with you!" Cody told them.

"Yes," Melody grinned. "That's a great idea! We all fell down, didn't we? The more humans that trust monsters, the better!"

"That is statistically - and emotionally - correct!" Percy agreed.

"HELL YEAH!" Brayden punched the air. "I'LL BE THE BEST AMBASSADOR EVER!"

Clover grinned in agreement. Faye blushed, but also seemed to agree.

"YEAH!" Papyrus cheered. "THE HUMANS WILL BE THE BEST AMBASSADORS! AND I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS… WILL BE THE BEST MASCOT! I'LL GO MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION!" He ran off.

"Uhh, I don't think that's going to end well!" Melody said.

"HEY, I WANNA BE THE FIRST TO GET BACK HOME!" Brayden yelled. He suddenly ran off as well, after Papyrus.

"Brayden get back here!" Melody grumbled. She chased after him.

"welp," Sans said. "someone's gotta keep 'em from getting into trouble." He winked. "see you guys." He walked in a different direction from where the others had gone.

"Man, do I have to do EVERYTHING?" Undyne groaned. "Papyrus, wait!" She ran after the others.

"Hey, Undyne! Wait up!" Alphys yelped, scampering after the fish woman.

"I'm kinda curious to see how this'll turn out," Clover said. "See ya guys later. I'll see if I can get some popcorn." She followed after the others.

"Uhh, maybe I'd better go too," Cody said. "I don't want anyone to get into a fight!"

He raced after his sister. That left just Toriel, Asgore, Percy, Chara and Faye.

"Whoops." Asgore said.

There was an awkward silence.

"So, I had this theory," Percy looked thoughtful. "What if... this entire world was just a fanfiction written by some trash-can roaming loser?"

Everyone stared at him.

"Yeah... I'm gonna go now." Percy said, walking awkwardly away.

Another awkward silence.

"Uh... should I do something?" Asgore asked.

Toriel gave him a look.

"Well, gotta go!" Asgore said, racing off.

There was another pause, not so awkward.

"It seems everyone is quite eager to set off," Toriel said.

"Indeed…" Chara agreed. They glanced at Faye. "I thought that you would follow your best friend."

"I… I don't know if I'm fully ready to go back to the Surface yet…" Faye commented quietly. "I mean… my parents… what if they died during the time I was gone?"

"Then you will always be welcome to live with me, my child," Toriel said. She looked at Chara. "And you, Chara… what do you want to do?"

Chara glanced at their fists. They then stared at the sunset.

"Whatever the future holds…" they said. "I will make sure it is good. I will bring prosperity to this world. I will make this world… a good place. A happy place."

"That sounds lovely, my child," Toriel smiled at Chara. "You really have become an angel, haven't you?"

Chara smiled back at her. "I have become a better person, yes."

"I am so glad to hear so," Toriel replied. "Now, come along. Everyone is waiting for us!"

Chara let Toriel lead them and Faye off the mountain. They glanced back once, seeing a golden flower blooming nearby the entrance to the underground. They thought of the friends they had lost.

"Whatever happens…" they mumbled, clenching onto their golden locket. "I will not let anyone else die. This group will stay together. I promise."

The golden flower glowed in the bright sunlight as the group departed.

The End

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wow, just a week before this fanfic turned a year old and it's finished. This came so quickly... I almost can't believe it, lol.
> 
> *cries I never wanted it to end ;(*
> 
> This has been a pretty emotional journey for me... in real life I've been struggling socially a lot and had a lot of problems with depression. Especially in school too, I've felt so... nothing every day. This fanfic was so important to me since it was one of the things that kept me going. Writing about these silly kids on their big adventure... the story just caught my heart (somehow lol). For those of who've been here since the start, thank you. I am so glad I got to spend this emotional journey with you.
> 
> Because of this fanfic I made new friends in the Undertale fandom, started a YouTube channel, posted unnecessary fanart - you should check my deviantART for that, I posted a collab with Jinx198- and so much more. This AU is what's keeping me in the UT fandom, lol. This and Glitchtale. (Though I still love the original game)
> 
> Speaking of friends, I wanna give a few shout-outs to a couple of people:
> 
> \- Mikishiii (deviantART) for amazing fanart
> 
> \- TrayGrimlover (Quotev) for her amazing reading of this fanfic (look up her YouTube channel)
> 
> \- Garucca415, (D.A) for fanart again lol
> 
> \- Jet-Narrowwasher (D.A + FFN) (fanart)
> 
> \- XxNever-SurrenderxX (Quotev, Discord) (for just being cool lol)
> 
> \- The wonderful people on Discord
> 
> \- My lovely and very good friend Jinx198 who's also writing a Grouptale story that y'all should check out
> 
> \- SamTheWriter, Demiwizard dragon girl, KindredSoul21 and anyone else who's been reviewing a lot. (FNN, Wattpad, A03, Quotev)
> 
> \- All the lovely people on Wattpad, A03 and Quotev! (Looking at you Jordan ;) )
> 
> \- The deviantART fam
> 
> \- My mum for giving me Melody's name lol
> 
> \- My IRL buddy who helped develop some of the characters' traits. ;p
> 
> And thank you, anyone, who's reading this story and this silly author's note. Whether you reviewed or not, it's all appreciated. I'm glad you took the time out of your day to look at my cringey writing lol. It's definitely made me emotional I tell you what.
> 
> I do hope you enjoyed this fanfic. I was thinking about making a sequel and I got some good ideas, but I think it'll be better overall just to end it here. I might adapt this fanfic into a comic, we'll see. I was also thinking about making an extra story, full of all the deleted scenes and possibly some one-shots from life on the surface. What do you guys think? Please let me know!
> 
> NOTE: TELL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THEM!
> 
> Anyway, once again, thank you to everyone for reading this, and have a good one! For the last time, see ya. :)


	52. Revive - surprise epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Surprise uwu, Happy Valentine's Day!
> 
> More author note crap at the bottom...
> 
> Also there's a drawing on my deviantART iHateFridays if you're interested

 

* * *

Chara sighed. They couldn't believe they'd agreed to this.

Despite having been a child for a ridiculously long time, they did not like children. And now, they were on their way to babysit a child for their friends. Why, oh why, did Brayden and Faye think choosing  _them_  for a babysitter was a good idea?

Sure, Percy and Melody were in Japan, going to visit some of Percy's family (and attend an anime convention). Clover was doing some important job with the police (as she was head of the police) so she was MIA. And Faye and Brayden were going on a double date with Cody and his boyfriend. So what was the solution? Call the bitter, short-tempered Chara to look after the kid! Great idea!

 _Why not ask Toriel?_ Chara had asked.  _Or Asgore? Or those skeleton brothers? I am sure Papyrus would enjoy being around a young child._

 _Toriel said it would be good if you look after them,_ Faye had replied.  _She says you've barely met Frisk._

Ah, yes. Another factor. They'd named their child  _Frisk_.

Chara sighed. They really didn't have a choice.

Wearing a simple, brown jacket over a green shirt, Chara knocked on the front door. In their right breast pocket was a golden flower. Their long hair was tied back into a ponytail. They somehow managed to look both masculine and feminine at the same time, even after going through 'puberty'.

Well, Chara never really 'grew up'. They were an immortal angel; they couldn't age. They could just chose what age they wanted to be. And for the sake of their friends, right now, they were an adult.

An adult that is also a babysitter…

Chara kept a scowl on their face as Faye answered the door. She had grown into a beautiful woman, still with long, blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a simple, white dress with a baby blue cardigan. Diamond earrings dangled from her ears. Chara was a bit taller than her; they weren't very tall, but they weren't the shortest of the group, either.

"Hey," Faye said.

"Greetings." Chara snapped. Yes,  _snapped_. They were in a wonderful mood.

"Thanks for coming," Faye said. "Even if you didn't want to."

Chara scoffed.

Faye laughed. "You'll do fine. As long as you don't kill anybody."

"Hmm." Chara narrowed their eyes.

"Chara's here?" someone asked, from somewhere in the house.

"Yes, honey," Faye replied. "We can leave now."

"Awesome!" the voice replied. Brayden walked over, putting his arm around his wife's shoulders. He was wearing a tuxedo, and his hair had been slicked back. Chara couldn't believe it, he looked formal. Usually he wore something more revealing, just because he wanted to show off all his muscles. Chara found it painfully arrogant. He was also taller than them, and he liked to joke about it, even if the height differences weren't that great. (And plus, Chara could turn into an angel and instantly be taller than literally everyone)

"Hello, Bransen," they said, just because they couldn't resist teasing him.

"It's been twenty years and you still can't remember my name?!" Brayden grumbled.

"Oh woe is me," Chara sighed dramatically. "My poor memory."

"Yeah, sure," Brayden said, crossing his arms. "Anyway. So you're babysitting my kid."

 _Oh here we go,_ Chara thought. "In case that was not obvious."

Brayden furrowed his brow, grabbing the front of Chara's shirt. "If you hurt her, I'll freaking  _kill_ you, and then I'll revive you  _again_  so I can beat the Hell out of you! Understand?!"

Chara rolled their eyes, not even the slightest bit scared. "Whatever you say, Bradley."

Brayden looked like he wanted to beat Chara up right there and then, but Faye put a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll be late," she said. "Cody's nice, but I don't want to keep him waiting."

Brayden reluctantly let Chara go, but not before threatening them again. "This isn't over, Chuckles. I'll kick you to next year next time I see you!"

"Oh, I am terrified," Chara said, sarcastically. "What a threatening figure you are, Brandon."

Faye dragged Brayden away, yelling, "Make sure she goes to bed at 9!"

Chara rolled their eyes, and closed the front door. They swore they could hear Brayden yelling from a mile away.

 _Right,_  they thought. _Now where is their brat of a child?_

Chara found Frisk sitting on the couch. There wasn't anything on the TV, but she seemed completely engaged in it anyway. She had short, brown hair - Brayden's hair colour. Her eyes were grey, which meant she hadn't found her soul trait yet. Or she was blind. Either way. She was wearing a black skirt, and a white t-shirt with a diagonal grey stripe.

"There's nothing on that screen." Chara said.

Frisk shrugged. She stared at Chara.

"Are you the babysitter?" she asked.

"Well, I'm not your parents, or a kidnapper." Chara answered.

There was an awkward silence.

"My dad says you have anger issues." Frisk said, out of nowhere.

" _What?!_ " Chara yelled. "I do not- I do not have _anger issues_! If anyone has anger issues, it's that deadbeat father…" They took a breather. "Well, you see, your father is a stupid fool, and you should not listen to anything he says."

"He does do stupid things sometimes," Frisk said. "Once he tried to bench press Mom and Aunty Melody, but he slipped on a banana peel."

"I remember that," Chara chuckled. They paused. "You see Melody as your aunt, do you?"

"Yeah," Frisk nodded. "I know she's not actually my aunt, but she's usually the one that babysits me, so that's what I call her. But she's in Japan with Uncle Percy right now. She said she was going to stop him from looking at something called 'hentai'."

Chara had to keep themself from laughing. Either because of the hentai thing, or the fact that Frisk called Percy  _Uncle_. "Interesting."

"Sometimes Uncle Cody babysits me," Frisk said. "I like it when he does. He always bakes me cookies. Sometimes his boyfriend comes with him, and he's really short, and Cody is really tall, and it's so  _weird_."

Chara sat next to Frisk. "Quite. What about Clover?"

"Aunty Clover is the best," Frisk cheered. "She takes me out to do cool stuff. She's a policewoman, so she's really important. Also, Uncle Percy says she's sexy."

Chara smirked. "Yes, he has always liked her." They made a face. "What about monsters?"

"Toriel is so nice, and her pie is amazing," Frisk said. "Undyne is kind of like Dad, and she wrestles with him a lot. She always wins. Then there's Alphys, who likes anime like Uncle Percy. The skeleton brothers are cool too, though I don't like Papyrus' spaghetti that much. Sans' jokes make up for it. And Asgore…. Asgore is like Toriel, and he's teaching me gardening."

Chara nodded, and glanced over their hands. "Did your parents say anything about, well... me?"

"Not a lot," Frisk shrugged. "Aside from you having anger issues. And… Mom said I'm named after someone you really cared about."

Chara felt their heart clench. "Yes… that is true. The original Frisk."

"Mom said they were a good friend," Frisk said. "But their story was very long and sad. She didn't want to tell me it. She said you knew more. So… could you tell me about them?"

"I haven't told the story of Frisk for a very long time," Chara sighed. "But for you, I can make an exception."

"Really?" Frisk asked.

Chara nodded. "Well, the story starts a very long time ago, when two races ruled over Earth. They were known as humans and monsters…."

* * *

The story went on for hours, and by the time Chara was finished, Frisk was sound asleep. Chara had a small smile on their face. They carried the child in their arms into her bedroom. They put her in bed, and turned out the lights.

"Goodnight, Frisk," they said. "Sleep well."

They closed the door, and walked away. Frisk opened her eyes, putting a hand over her chest.

"Glad to see you remember my whole story, Chara," she murmured. "You really have been the best person you can."

She held out her SOUL. It was red.

_Spending time with your old friend fills you with determination._

**FILE SAVED**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, hello again. Long time no see. I've had this mini story planned for a while. And I wanted to show the kids as adults. I may not as be passionate about this story as I was last year, and to be honest, I find some of it really, really cringey. And stupid. And just bad. There are a lot of things I'd like to go back and change, but I think all authors are like that about their fanfics. I am, at least, proud of myself for at least managing to finish it though. This is my most popular fanfic, at least at the moment, and I did put a lot of work into it, so while it's not really up to my standards, per say, I managed to write something others seem to enjoy.
> 
> I'll answer some questions that I've gotten and some of you may have had on your mind:
> 
> Are you going to write a Grouptale sequel?
> 
> No. I actually was at some point, but unfortunately I lost interest. I'm moving into other fandoms, and writing other stories. I still have interests in Chara angst stuff and Charisk, but not really Grouptale as a whole. This one shot is probably the last thing I'll ever make for Grouptale, to be honest. Not including deviantART asks. Unless I somehow get interested again.
> 
> Are you going to make an AU story of Grouptale? Such as Groupfell, Groupswap etc.
> 
> Like with the sequel, no. I really don't want to have to write another 50 chapter story for an entire year again. I have made some art for some AUs, but that's it.
> 
> Can I write a parody of this, translate it into another language, draw fanart, etc?
> 
> You sure can! You can even write your own Grouptale story if you want. Go nuts. Just give me credit lmao
> 
> Is the spin-off a sequel or prequel?
> 
> It was supposed to be a sequel, but not anymore. Things change.
> 
> If you have anymore questions, send me a PM or leave it in the reviews.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Again.
> 
> IHF out


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